Bandura and Adler Alfred Adler\'s

Bandura and Adler

Alfred Adler's birth order theory has generated diverse opinions, given that it applies to some families whereas it is just a speculation in the case of others. When taking into consideration Sigmund Freud's youngest daughter, Anna Freud, one can assume that Adler's theory is true. Given Anna's characteristics (she was desperate for attention, recognized for her rebellious character, and her father's most lauded child) it becomes clear that she fits several of the models Adler put across (Thurstone & Jenkins, 1931, p. 82).

Paradoxically, some of Anna's theories on the subject of child development related to how children can be educated so as for the order they were born in to have a lesser effect on their lives. This makes it obvious that she did not support Adler's birth theory as being something impossible to remediate through nurture.

There is a probability that Anna accepted her role as Sigmund's youngest daughter, but that she refuted the idea that one should fit into the characteristics described by Adler. Even though she might have been aware that her life experiences were owed to the fact that she was Sigmund's youngest daughter, she was determined to devise theories on account of which people could develop their individuality without being influenced by the environment they find themselves in.

The fact that Anna also inspired from her life experiences when she created child development theories is perfectly exemplified by her first article: "The Relation of Beating Fantasies to a Daydream." Her decision to develop philosophies relating to children came as a response to her childhood, given that she was largely influenced by the difficult relationship she had with her mother, her need to be better than her siblings, and the greater affection she received from her father.

2. Albert Bandura's theories (the Social Cognitive Theory in particular) lobby for the fact that individuals have the capability to control their abilities, in an attempt to perform virtually anything their mental and physical capacities allow them to. While there is a lot of controversy surrounding Bandura's theories, the psychologist claims that people should be more interested in the social utility of his theories rather than wasting their time challenging their exactness (Bandura).

The debates relating to Bandura's theories can be associated to the divergences between groups of behavioral theorists and groups of humanistic and cognitive theorists. The former support the belief that the individual is mainly influenced by the environment he/she inhabits while the latter consider that he/she acts on account of their own willpower.

I personally believe that people (especially those in the present) are influenced to a large degree by their environments. This is principally because of factors such as the media, the internet, and globalization in general. However, one's individuality is always noticeable, considering that all people are thought to be unique in their character. Thus, even though most people's personalities are presently shaped by the environments they live in, one is also capable of thinking on their own, without being influenced by the elements around him or her. This was proved in numerous cases, as people who were believed to have no chances of succeeding in a certain matter managed to thrive because of their determination.