Explain and give an example of how a supervisor of the dominant type would handle a problem in an office while contrasting this style of life with a supervisor who exemplifies the avoiding type. How would each basic style of life be different, and how would they be alike?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

ANS: Students' answers will vary.
Adler proposed four basic styles of life for dealing with several universal problems: the dominant type, the getting type, the avoiding type, and the socially useful type.
The dominant type displays a dominant or ruling attitude with little social awareness. Such a person behaves without any regard for other people. The more extreme of this type attack others and become sadists, delinquents, or sociopaths. The less virulent become alcoholics, drug addicts, or suicides; they believe they hurt others by attacking themselves.
The avoiding type makes no attempt to face life's problems. By avoiding difficulties, the person avoids any possibility of failure.
For example, Bill, the dominant type supervisor, likes to tell his workers what to do by attacking their work ethic, while Carl, the avoiding type supervisor, ignores the problem in the office where the workers become non-productive.
Both types are not prepared to cope with the problems of everyday life. They are unable to cooperate with other people and the clash between their style of life and the real world results in abnormal behavior, which is manifested in neuroses and psychoses. They lack what Adler came to call social interest.