Classical Adlerian psychology

The sense of community is an emotional feeling that has the inner connectedness with others to subject. It may include belonging to a family, a tribe, a nation, or all mankind. The sense of community is an important concept of individual psychology.

Physical and mental conditions

Due to its biological equipment of man towards his fellow man can develop a compassion. Recent studies ( Manfred Spitzer, Gerald Huether et al. ) Of brain research in the 21st century make the so-called mirror neurons responsible for this ability. As altricial or rather Physiological prematurity ( Adolf Portmann ) of the newborn is dependent on his fellow man. The sense of community created in this early phase of the Incarnation in the daily active interpersonal conflict and relationship. Man is a social beings.

Purpose and benefits

For Alfred Adler, the sense of community is the result of a successful educational process. The fulfillment of the tasks of life that make up the meaning of life, according to him, are only possible in the community. His sense of community includes the feeling of togetherness and the active involvement in the community to the general, community -promoting benefits.

Disturbances of the sense of community

A little strong sense of community can drag a behavior on the useless side of life by itself, which is to the detriment of the community to Adler. The Health Psychology finds that a lack of sense of community also has an impact on health: " Social isolated people had compared to those who possessed a strong togetherness and sense of community, at least two to five times as likely to prematurely ill and die. "

Development of the sense of community concept

The Austrian physician Alfred Adler has explored the relationship between human nature and his mental state in his practice and anchored the " sense of community " as a central concept in his individual psychology. With the tenderness of the child's need Adler had long worked out the life-long interpersonal neediness of the individual against John Bowlby and Harry Stack Sullivan. Contemporary infant research, motivation theories and clinical research to confirm this, as the following quote: "We all need recognition from outside. We measure our success by the reactions of other people, and without feeling, to fulfill a useful purpose in the community, the anchoring in the interpersonal circle we lack. Our need for recognition is our nature as social beings. "

The Adlerian concept of social interest is reflected in the modern terms Social and Emotional Intelligence.

Abuse sense of community

The fact that man is dependent on his fellow men led in the history of mankind and over again to abuse. In various forms of collectivism was an attempt to curtail the freedom of the individual by the alleged necessity of subordination to the collective.

The abuse of social interest under National Socialism, especially in the Hitler Youth, has partially damaged the term until today. The expansion of the Nazi Party Rally Grounds in 1935, constituting another example of such influence: The buildings should give visitors the feeling part of something very big, but to be small and insignificant at the same time. They supported the leader myth and should by the sense of community to strengthen the national community. With the nightly use of Flakscheinwerfern as the Cathedral of Light sacred atmosphere of the events should be underlined.