Authors Preface This book is an attempt to acquaint the general public with the fundamentals of Individual Psychology. At the same time it is a demonstration of the practical application of these principles to the conduct of one's everyday relationships, not only to the world, and to one's fellowmen, but also to the organization of one's personal life. The book is based upon a year's lectures to an audience of hundreds of men and women of all ages and professions, at the People's Institute in Vienna. The purpose of the book is to point out how the mistaken behavior of the individual affects the harmony of our social and communal life; further, to teach the…

An unjustly forgotten plea for humanity by Moritz Nestor The front cover of the book “Entwicklungswunder Mensch” (The Human Being – A Miracle of Development) by Hans-Dieter Schmidt and Evelyn Richter (1980) shows in A4 format the photo of a mother’s tender hand, around whose little finger clenches the little fist of her a few months old beloved child. No font disrupts the image. The peculiar meaning, inherent in coarse-grained black-and-white photos, directly affects the reader’s soul. Could there be a more beautiful symbol for the essentially human which is shown in this photo? A child and his mother, me and you. The prima…

by Dr Anita Schächter Which parental concern is greater than the concern for the child to find his way in life? Parents find fulfilment in watching their child making friends, enjoying school, being able to empathize with others, being helpful, and being able to handle both his feelings and defeat. Briefly – to be emotionally competent. How can I introduce my child into life so that he fulfils his tasks in life?

“A well-functioning and well-instructed classroom community is of crucial importance” by Dr phil Alfred Burger, Headmaster It often happens in our school that very interesting children are registered who have failed in school in spite of their high intelligence. In most cases they come to us with a long history of “clearing-ups” and diagnoses, which are not helpful, though. Instead of blaming the genes or looking for other speculative conditions as a cause for the problems, one should come back to and draw on the well-proven insights of pedagogy which are based on sound anthropology, i.e. a personalist view of the human being.

by Erika Vögeli In all cultures, it is the family that represents the basis and heart of human community. As a social being, man depends on solid human relationships for his entire physical, spiritual and intellectual development. In the ‘social womb’ of the family (Albert Portmann), being the very first human community, the child experiences the emotional support which is a fundamental influence to the development of his entire personality. The family is seen as the natural social entity, anthropologically as well as psychologically, which can provide for the development of the human being best.

Impact of positive and negative expectations on the development of children by Corinna Schmied, psychologist and remedial teacher, and Dipl paed lic phil Renate Caesar Teachers, parents or other people in the children’s environment often approach the child with certain assumptions, theories or beliefs. Every expectation, whether conscious or unconscious, has implications for the child’s further development, and may bear fruit either in the negative or in the positive way. Therein lie both a great responsibility and at the same time a great opportunity.

Ever new educational reforms lead to an increase of learning difficulties and mental disorders in children by Dr Andreas Bau, Hackborn cc. To understand, assess and be able to classify current events and developments, we need to be capable of surveying social, economic and political developments over a long period and with a keen mind and to assess them with reference to their humaneness. The resulting insights can point the way ahead and will serve the good of all. This also applies to the fields of education and medicine (social sciences), as the following article most impressively illustrates.