Individual Psychology as Second-Person Psychology: Heinz L. and Rowena R. Ansbacher Memorial Lecture

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Exploring the membership archives of the North American Society of Adlerian Psychology (NASAP, initially ASAP) from 1952 until the early 2000s revealed many hidden treasures. The applications from the 1950s to the 1980s, most completed by hand, share applicants’ reasons for joining, their education and training background in Individual Psychology, their fields of interest, and their professional activities. Early files also contain letters of reference, each ending with a confirmation that an “applicant’s orientation can be classified as Adlerian” or a similar endorsement. This article presents the demographic profiles of the 6,357 NASAP applicants between 1952 and 2009, focusing on professional identity, theoretical orientation, and commitment to Adlerian values, as expressed in these application materials. The second-person interactions that were prominent and popular in the Adlerian movement in the United States through the 1990s—teaching, correspondence, mentorship, open forums, and other you-focused activities—likely contributed to high NASAP membership numbers between 1952 and the early 1990s.