Which psychologist developed Adler's system of individual psychology into a pragmatic method for understanding the purposes of reprehensible behavior in children and for stimulating cooperative behavior without punishment or reward?

• A. Alfred Adler
• B. Rudolf Dreikurs
• C. John Krumboltz
• D. John Bowlby

Answer: (B)

Understanding behavior as purposeful and socially oriented is at the heart of this idea. Adler’s system posits that people act to belong and to feel significant, and when behavior goes off track it’s because the underlying goal is being pursued in a mistaken way. Rudolf Dreikurs took that framework and turned it into a practical method for figuring out why children misbehave and how to encourage cooperation without relying on punishment or rewards. He taught that misbehavior serves specific purposes, often summarized as four common aims: seeking attention, asserting power, seeking revenge, or displaying inadequacy. By identifying the child’s goal, caretakers can respond with encouragement, foster a sense of belonging, and use logical or natural consequences that guide behavior back toward cooperation. This approach keeps the focus on understanding the function of the behavior and redirecting it constructively, rather than resorting to punishment or bribes.

Alfred Adler laid the theoretical groundwork of individual psychology, emphasizing social connection and purposeful behavior. The method described here, turning those ideas into a concrete, nonpunitive discipline strategy for children, was developed by Rudolf Dreikurs. The other names are linked to different theories—John Krumboltz to social learning and career development, and John Bowlby to attachment theory—so they don’t fit this particular pragmatic extension of Adler’s ideas.