Promoting Adlerian Psychology in the American Classroom: The First Attempt and Its Contemporary Implications

Abstract:As early as Alfred Adler's first visit to the United States in 1927, he saw the acute need to foster Individual Psychological education on a national scale. In Adler's view, the strong American emphasis on personal competitiveness necessitated major pedagogical innovation to better nurture children's cooperative abilities. Among those drawn to Adler's vision was the influential American child psychiatrist David M. Levy. Drawing on published sources and newly discovered correspondence involving Adler and Levy, we highlight how his potential support for Adler's far-sighted goal was lost due to the overzealousness of his chief American benefactor, the business magnate Charles Henry Davis. The article also discusses the relevance of this historical episode for contemporary advocates of altruistic and civic education.