Adler's term, '__________,' has become widely known.

• A. superiority complex
• B. inferiority complex
• C. neurotic anxiety
• D. social interest

Answer: (B)

Adler popularized the term inferiority complex to describe a pervasive feeling of inadequacy that can shape personality and behavior. He emphasized that everyone experiences some degree of inferiority as they grow, arising from real or imagined shortcomings and social comparisons. When these feelings are intense and chronic, they can become an inferiority complex that drives people to overcompensate, withdraw, or react in exaggerated ways to protect the self. This term has become widely known because it captures a core pattern many observe in behavior and motivation: a persistent sense of not measuring up can powerfully steer choices, goals, and interactions.

The other concepts refer to different ideas in Adlerian psychology or related theories. A superiority complex is a related, but distinct, defense where someone overcompensates for feelings of inferiority by presenting themselves as overly capable or superior. Neurotic anxiety is a Freudian idea about anxiety tied to internal conflicts, not Adler’s. Social interest is Adler’s term for a constructive orientation toward others and the community, not a label that became as popularly known as the inferiority complex.