Talk:Superiority complex

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 19 August 2019 and 13 December 2019. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Micheladitmore. Peer reviewers: RyanMurphey.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 10:27, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

More left to be discussed

I feel as though this wiki article leaves more to be discussed about superiority complexes. For instance, it does not discuss when and if an individual should feel justified in their sense of superiority. Obviously, a person who is the manager or boss of a company understands that they are the boss or manager of the company: As such, the person is justified in their sense of superiority. However, this not necessitate that the individual has a particular "complex." It does, however, state the simple fact that the individual is "superior" to others AND their "superior," thus boss or manager. Furthermore, this article fails to really go into the social psychology of things, such as whether or not a person is "superior" to others in terms of socio-economic status. For instance, a doctor is more than likely superior in social hierarchy to a college drop-out who works at McDonald's. The doctor is justified in their belief, because the doctor's actions have more influence on the lives of others than the McDonald's worker. More important is the chemical engineer who sanitizes water for everyone to drink, thus making such an individual more socially relevant, superior, and depended upon than the medical doctor. As such, there is a level of social importance to be found within particular individuals, their abilities, and their trades. However, I feel as though this is not being discussed in this article. Cyberman (talk) 21:48, 7 February 2013 (UTC)

In general, many users of Wikipedia throughout the years have done a great job in providing an argument for what something is and an argument for what something is not. This has often been done in sections where people call something a "controversy." In a lot of ways, such things often appeal to those who care about such psychological topics rather than seeking an immediate definitional knowledge of something. However, this article covers what something is rather than what it is not'. More distinctly, there is room for confusion, as one after reading the article could attempt to say that a manager of a business has a superiority complex. Cyberman (talk) 21:51, 7 February 2013 (UTC)

In retrospect, the Superior (hierarchy) appears to be in the "See also" section, as though it generates the implicit argument that there is a justified kind of superiority that exists. However, no explicit arguments are covered in this Wikipedia article. Whether or not users want to tackle this issue is a different story. I do not know the intentions of the major contributor(s). Cyberman (talk) 22:12, 7 February 2013 (UTC)

Rewrite

OVERLOAD!!!

       Uggh, this article needs to be broken down for sake of clarity. 

I'm sure the author has an intelligent point to make, but it is very hard to read rambling run-on paragraphs composed of rambling run-on sentences. Bad formatting! All you want to do when read this page is turn away and take a breather! I am guilty of run-on's all the time... in the rough draft stage!

This is a terrible article that is in desperate need of rewriting! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.99.112.97 (talk • contribs)

Trolls suck. Alister Namarra 05:01, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

That previous article was pathetic. I just rewrote it completely and also added a couple of examples in fiction. Darynthe 13:58, September 7, 2006 (UTC)

I agree with the need for rewriting. Is a superiority complex always a result of a perception of inferiority? (yes, it is always a response to feelings of inferiority) The page gives that indication, but I do not know if that is accurate. AFAIK superiority complex describes the attitude/behaviour regardless of the underlying "cause". 216.36.186.2 (talk) 14:19, 5 May 2008 (UTC)

Superiority complex in everyday usage means having very high opinion of oneself. In pschology field it refers to the same attitude, however in psychology field it is considered that the attitude is actually a way to hide or compensate for feeling of inferiority. It was a term introduced by psychologist Alfred Adler in series of his books like "Understanding Human Nature", "Social Interest" etc. Chanak (talk) 10:50, 23 June 2008 (UTC)

I tried to help a little, but this article reads like it was written by someone not fluent in English. 71.63.15.156 (talk) 18:32, 28 June 2008 (UTC)

Narcissism

How is this different from Narcissism? --DanielCD 14:11, 28 March 2006 (UTC)

Rather than believing you are much better than others, narcissism is more closely related to finding yourself to be attractive or impressive. Oh, and I'm going to keep this page on watch and make sure someone gets some information in. 04:00, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

I'd say the key difference is the feeling of essentially superior entitlement that goes with NPD, but not with a superiority complex. The grandiosity part is probably the same. ObDisc: Unqualified opinion. DDWP (talk) 10:40, 7 October 2008 (UTC)

Superiority complex is not a feeling of superioirty or a belief, although those feelings are often if not always present. It is a response to feelings of inferiority, insecurity, a feeling of being below, of not being up the task or whatever name you want to call it. It is, more acturately, acting superior. Like the kid in the zoo who roars at the lion and says "I'm not afraid". A person scared of dying may enjoy sky-diving, or extreme sports. A person who must be superior may resort to killing if they felt their superiority threatened.

PTSD and Inferiority/Superiority

I'm interested to find this note at the end about PTSD. I wasn't sure whether I had BPD or CPTSD. That clinches it for me. I seem to swing between feeling like a peice of poo and being the living breathing embodiment of Jesus Christ, messiah to the animals. I feel very close to Adler's principles. Let's see what the shrink says. No doubt he will recommend more anti-psychotics.. How utterly depressing. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.55.130.205 (talk) 16:39, 21 September 2008 (UTC)

I have PTSD. I think that these swings between inferiority and superiority are part of PTSD (and probably most other disorders), but I don't think there's really a direct causal link specific to PTSD - situations that set off flashbacks and/or dissociation (crisis situations most people with PTSD are familiar with) are not the same as those that make my self-esteem go gurgling down the U-bend, and an inferiority phase "feels" different from a flashback/dissociative phase, although one might follow from the other (and probably will). I'd speculate that feelings of difference and inadequacy are a common denominator in inferiority complexes, whether compensated by illusions of superiority or not, and PTSD makes you feel very different and inadequate - but so does a bunch of other things. ObDisc: YMMV, my unqualified opinion. DDWP (talk) 10:14, 7 October 2008 (UTC)

There is no information anywhere that I found that relates this complex to PTSD. Thus, when you find your references you can put it back in. Until then, it is total disinformation and is being deleted. --98.208.209.78 (talk) 17:52, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Wouldn't it have been enough to mark it as being without citation, or controversial or whatever? Calling it "disinformation" seems a little exaggerated. DDWP (talk) 19:20, 19 February 2009 (UTC)

Revert?

This article is a rambling mess. It sounds like the random thoughts of a high school psychology student who has been asked to write an essay comparing superiority to inferiority complexes. I suggest we revert to one of the earlier articles which, though concise, are at least readable and stick to the subject of the article. Suitsyou (talk) 20:54, 2 September 2010 (UTC)

I think the problem here is due to a confusion on editors' parts as to the difference between the two complexes and errors being fixed by rewording instead of being eliminated. A good part of the current text was added in [these edits last December]. What came before appears wrong so reverting won't help and what came after seems garbled.

I recommend someone rewrite this from scratch or nearly scratch anyway. Jojalozzo 03:47, 3 September 2010 (UTC)

AWFULLY WRONG!!!

The article as it was said that you cannot have inferiority and superiority complexes together, that inferiority complex leading to showing off is different to the "true" superiority complex of really being thoroughly convinced of one's innate superiority. I don't know where this theory came from, but it is definitely not what Adler wrote - and since the article itself attributes the concept, correctly, to Adler, one would expect to find his definition of superiotiy complex in it, not the definition of someone who disagrees with him.

Whoever wrote that version nearly got me into trouble with a credit, as it was the opposite of what our lecturer was preaching...

In order not to overrule someone whose sources I have not been able to consult, I put the other perspective in a separate section. However I suggest that someone check the sources cited in that section, as I have no idea whether a book about phobias actually does propose a theory regarding the superiority complex.Gfglegal (talk) 09:45, 26 January 2011 (UTC)

Superiority Complex often masks the inferioirty complex. SBJ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 162.58.82.135 (talk) 18:48, 20 March 2012 (UTC)

Psychology as a pseudoscience

These articles need to be balanced with anti-psychology movement critiques, as they mostly consist of a bunch of pseudo-scientific bullhonkey designed to justify the sale of controlled substances.

Did Einstein have a superiority complex as noted by his "mediocre minds" quote? Seriously, if a person feels they are superior there is probably a good reason for it like higher IQ and analytical skills. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 96.32.130.192 (talk) 18:08, 13 April 2011 (UTC)

The article might definately need to be revamped but only on the basis of clarity, not on the basis of a "pseudoscience" since it is a well researched and peer-reviewed complex. There are criteria that must be met other than just simply being a jerk who think's he's better than everyone. It is also worth noting that psychologists typically are not licensed to dispense medications, so that conspiracy theory doesnt hold. someone should pick this article up and clean it Je.rrt (talk) 23:06, 28 August 2011 (UTC)

Perhaps such psychologists have a superiority complex that masks their actual feelings of inferiority to "real" doctors. GreenReaper (talk) 20:34, 20 October 2013 (UTC)

Calling a "superiority complex" a "mental disease" i. e. sickness of the mind is misleading and unfounded. Such a statement overestimates the role of the "MIND" (thoughts and beliefs) and underestimates the role of the "Heart"(experiences and emotions). The head/mind/intellect works with information gathering and the heart/emotions/will works with experience gathering. It is more likely that shaming experiences , ego boosting experiences. and informational untruths believed are at the root of Inferiority and Superiority Complexes. New Information and experiences in relationship are both necessary over time to develop healthy new patterns. Psychological labels often do more damage than good. In a way they are part of superiority complexes projected from well meaning "experts" in Psychology or Medicine creating unhealthy dependence at times. As if to suggest that knowing something means that you understand and apply something correctly. I.E. giving drugs offering a diagnosis without a plan of implementation of new healthy changes.

Inferiority and Superiority may also have some relationship to co-dependancy in that one partner of the relationship assumes the role of "God" and the other assumes the role of "Nothing". Understanding Boundaries, responsibility, and authority may also be related as authority is delegated. One learns to manage and develop their own skills and expertize by submitting to authority and learning to manage their own authority over time in a submitted context. This authority and identity begins with one's relationship to parents, God, The justice system, teachers, clergy etc. and bad examples can cause maladaptive views of one's self. If an authority figure is shaming then inferiority is internalized unless recognized and challenged. If an authority figure delegates authority too quickly when someone's charachter is not ready to handle the job/power or does not limit the ego of those seeking power, then their inflated ego goes unchallenged lending itself to "superiority". Healthy authority as an accurate view of its role in serving others rather than in self absorption or self benefit solely.

Knowing something enough to label it is a big difference than spending enough time with a person or client to hear their stories and empathize with their experiences". Context is everything, we are relational beings who don't grow up in isolation we are products of our environment.  Superiority and inferiority are modeled behaviors by parents, leaders, bad religious traditions or cults, media and advertising communicated directly and subconsciously to the childs mind who does not have enough information yet to process accurately experiences and beliefs they are internalizing.  Calling something a disease implies it can only be healed or recovered from by an "Expert" of Psychology or Medicine which could actually reinforce the "inferiority/superiority" dynamic.  The Beattitudes and some parables in the Bible taught by Jesus Christ would be one example of how to reverse an inferiority Complex. 
Jesus was a humble servant leader who modeled by example a healthy view of oneself.  Neither Inferior nor superior......God lowered himself willingly to the place of an infant born in a stable.  I would suggest anyone wanting to model healthy change would need to Condescend to someone with inferiority and Confront Superiority with stories and examples and real humble authority role models. 

Wrong ideas of "Good" and "Bad" are also related to inferiority and Superiority in that, someone with inferiority sees themselves as "all bad" and someone with superiority sees themselves as "all good". Put those two dynamics together and you have a unhealthy self reinforcing relationship where truth of ones true state is not reflected through healthy information. Love becomes the answer for the counterfit of a "good" and "bad" problem. We must truly be loved to understand that love is given as a gift and not earned or deserved. Love is outside the self rather than looking to self and performance to find one's true identity. Discouragement can lead to inferiority as one has sought true love and failed to find it one could internalize the message that I am unlovable" — Preceding unsigned comment added by [[Special:Contributions/] (talk) 20:20, 1 November 2014 (UTC)

Inferiority Complex and Superiority complex as feelings

I'm not sure how the idea that these two concepts are feelings or beliefs. They are not feelings that one is superior or inferior to anyone. This idea is not found in any works written by Adler. Alfred Adler claims that everyone suffers from feeling of inferiority and these two complexes are negative responses to feeling inferior. They are both a way of acting, not a way of feeling. They are attempts to safe guard ones self-esteem, not low or high self-esteem. I haven't read all those Adler books for someone who clearly know nothing to come in do some web searching and mess up a key point in the Adlerian psychology. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 162.58.82.135 (talk) 18:35, 20 March 2012 (UTC)

Rewriting

If anyone is interested I'm planning a full rewrite for clarity, fact checking, and to cut out the large unneeded quote (aka putting them into words). It's in my sandbox if you would like to view it and I am open to ideas for changes before I implement the rewrite on the main article. :) Micheladitmore (talk) 11:24, 30 October 2019 (UTC)

Have condensed the rewrite, hope article is beginning to take encyclopedic shape.....Jacobisq (talk) 07:45, 4 October 2020 (UTC)

The article is definitely more encyclopedic! Great work y'all. :0) ¶ I made some edits to the lede, in the second paragraph (diff). I removed this sentence: "It is related to the DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of grandiose delusions" because DSM-5 does not contain such a comparison and Colman no longer has an entry for "superiority complex" in the most recent edition of his text. Mark D Worthen PsyD (talk) [he/his/him] 19:22, 5 October 2020 (UTC)