What Can Cause an Inferiority Complex?
An inferiority complex is frequently traced to abusive or negative childhood experiences, the effects of which can persist well into adulthood. But that's not the only possible cause.
Like most psychological conditions, an inferiority complex is a multi-layered disorder that generally has more than one cause. From childhood traumas to encounters as an adult, there are many experiences that can spark feelings of inadequacy that affect a person throughout their lifetime.
Identifying the causes of an inferiority complex may help you overcome your toxic thought process, according to New World Encyclopedia. (1)
Adler’s Theory: A Disorder of Compensation
Alfred Adler, the Australian psychologist who first described inferiority complex in the early 1900s, believed that the disorder was one of compensation, meaning that a person exhibits certain behaviors to compensate for negative feelings they have. If someone is unable to successfully offset inadequate beliefs about themselves, they may develop an inferiority complex.
Adler thought these reactions start in infancy, when a baby is naturally inferior to an adult. He believed an infant who feels helpless and inferior tries to overcome those emotions by achieving a higher level of development. This cycle of compensating for feeling inferior follows children throughout their lives, according to Adler. As children become more aware of their shortcomings and compare themselves with others, they begin to form thoughts of inferiority, which motivate them and drive their actions.
Adler called the experience of feeling inferior a “minus situation,” which becomes the motivation for what he referred to as the “plus situations” that spark the child to ultimately develop the growth and mastery needed to successfully navigate adulthood. (1)
Most Common Causes and Triggers of an Inferiority Complex
Experts believe certain factors, or a combination of factors, can contribute to an inferiority complex.
Experiences as Children and Adults
Encounters during childhood and adulthood can spark an inferiority complex. For instance, children who continually hear disapproving remarks about a behavior or ability may develop negative beliefs about themselves that worsen over time. Adults can undergo the same type of experiences that lead to destructive self-talk and — if that negative self-image is experienced across many aspects of life — ultimately an inferiority complex.
Mental Health Status
Certain people may be more prone to developing an inferiority complex. For example, those with low self-esteem and a pessimistic outlook are already at risk for developing feelings of incompetence. While feelings of inferiority may be real or imagined, if you have a mental health condition, you may not be able to recognize and refute false or harmful ideas about yourself. For example, people with a history of depression are more susceptible to developing an inferiority complex.
People who have to overcome physical deficits may be more likely to develop an inferiority complex. Some examples include having issues with:
Adler even used Napoleon Bonaparte as an example of someone who developed an inferiority complex because of a physical trait (his short stature). This is now commonly known as “Napoleon syndrome.” (1)
People who grow up with social disadvantages often develop feelings of inadequacy. For instance, someone with a low socioeconomic status may be more likely to develop an inferiority complex.
The Connection to Childhood
Overly strict parenting can lead someone to foster feelings of being inadequate. For instance, parents who tell their children that they’re never good enough may have kids who develop a deep-rooted sense of failure that never goes away. It can cause them to over- or underperform, depending on how they respond.
Other scenarios that could set the stage for an inferiority complex later in life include extreme peer pressure, teasing, sibling rivalry, and other experiences in childhood that can cause a young person to feel weak, helpless, and insufficient, per the Depression Alliance. (4)
Inferiority Complex: A Cause for Another Complex?
Superiority complex — a condition in which someone thinks they are superior to others — is considered the opposite of inferiority complex. But Adler believed feelings of inferiority likely drive many behaviors of people with a superiority complex.
According to Adler’s writings:
“If a person is a show-off, it is only because he feels inferior because he does not feel strong enough to compete with others on the useful side of life. That is why he stays on the useless side. He is not in harmony with society. It seems to be a trait of human nature that when individuals — both children and adults — feel weak, they want to solve the problems of life in such a way as to obtain personal superiority without any admixture of social interest. A superiority complex is a second phase. It is a compensation for the inferiority [feeling] complex.” (5)
On the flip side, Adler also believed that some people with an inferiority complex conceal sentiments of superiority, writing:
“We should not be astonished if in the cases where we see an inferiority [feeling] complex we find a superiority complex more or less hidden.” (5)
The Bottom Line
While there’s no single cause for inferiority complex, the disorder is likely rooted in childhood and adulthood deficiencies that affect a person over their lifetime. Most people will feel inferior at some point, but if these feelings overwhelm them and negatively affect their lives, they may have an inferiority complex.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
- Inferiority Complex. New World Encyclopedia. March 3, 2018.
- Wisner W. What Is an Inferiority Complex? Talk Space. November 9, 2019.
- What Are the Causes of an Inferiority Complex? The Hague Psychologist. September 6, 2016.
- Inferiority Complex: 5 Ways to Start Raising Your Self-Esteem. Depression Alliance.
- The Complex Case of Superiority. The Bubble. November 14, 2018.