What is a limitation of Adler's theory?

• A. Inability to validate concepts
• B. Overemphasis on cognitive restructuring
• C. Oversimplification of complex human functioning
• D. Neglect of emotional expression

Answer: (C)

The main idea tested here is that Adler's theory can oversimplify the richness of human motivation and behavior. Adler portrays people as driven by a single overarching aim—the strive for superiority—shaped by a lifestyle developed in response to early experiences and a sense of social belonging. Critics argue that this frame can flatten the complex mix of influences that actually shape behavior, such as biology, temperament, culture, relationships, trauma, and unconscious processes. When you try to boil human functioning down to one primary motive, you risk missing important nuances and contextual factors that influence why someone acts the way they do. That’s why oversimplification is considered a key limitation of the theory. The other options don’t fit as well because cognitive restructuring is more associated with cognitive therapies, Adler did consider emotions as part of his approach, and concerns about empirical validation, while relevant, are not as central to Adler’s critique as the risk of reducing complex functioning to a single motive.