Adlerian Psychology in Education: What The Courage to Be Disliked Teaches Teachers About Motivation

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Many educators talk about motivation, discipline, and student engagement. But surprisingly few discuss the psychological foundations that actually make learning possible.

The books The Courage to Be Disliked and The Courage to Be Happy, written by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, introduce readers to the ideas of Alfred Adler through a philosophical dialogue between a philosopher and a student.

While these books are not specifically about schools, they offer powerful insights into motivation, responsibility, and human growth—ideas that apply directly to education.

In fact, many of Adler’s psychological principles challenge how motivation is typically approached in classrooms.

What Is Adlerian Psychology in Education?

Adlerian psychology suggests that people are not simply shaped by their past experiences. Instead, human behavior is guided by goals, purpose, and social relationships.

In education, this means students are more likely to learn when they feel:

• capable of improvement

• responsible for their own learning

• connected to a meaningful community

Students rarely thrive in environments where they feel constantly judged, compared, or controlled. Instead, motivation grows when students experience competence, autonomy, and belonging.

Interestingly, these same conditions appear in modern psychological research on motivation.

The Separation of Tasks: A Powerful Idea for Classrooms

One of the most important ideas in The Courage to Be Disliked is Adler’s concept of the separation of tasks.

The idea is simple: many problems arise when we interfere with responsibilities that belong to someone else.

In education, this distinction is crucial.

Teachers are responsible for:

• explaining ideas clearly

• providing guidance and structure

• creating supportive learning environments

Students are responsible for:

• engaging with the material

• asking questions when confused

• practicing until they understand

When these responsibilities become blurred, learning often suffers. For example, when adults attempt to control every aspect of learning—forcing studying, solving problems for students, or micromanaging assignments—students never develop ownership of their education. Adler’s framework reminds us that learning ultimately belongs to the student.

Teachers can guide the process, but they cannot do the learning for them.

What Modern Learning Science Says

Modern research strongly supports many of Adler’s ideas.

One of the most influential theories of motivation is Self-Determination Theory.

According to this theory, intrinsic motivation develops when three psychological needs are met:

Competence

Students feel capable of improving through effort.

Autonomy

Students feel a sense of control over their learning.

Relatedness

Students feel connected to others and part of a meaningful community.

These ideas closely mirror Adler’s emphasis on mastery, responsibility, and social contribution.

What Adler proposed philosophically nearly a century ago aligns remarkably well with modern motivation research.

Why This Matters for Teachers

Many classroom systems unintentionally weaken intrinsic motivation.

Students often experience school as a system dominated by:

• grades

• rankings

• rewards

• punishments

These systems rely primarily on extrinsic motivation.

While external incentives can encourage short-term performance, they rarely produce deep curiosity or long-term learning.

Adler’s perspective suggests a different question for educators:

Instead of asking, How do we make students comply with academic expectations?

We might ask: How do we help students see learning as their own project?

When students feel ownership of their learning, motivation tends to become more stable and self-directed.

Courage, Not Compliance

One of the central themes in The Courage to Be Disliked is that personal growth requires courage.

Students need courage to:

• attempt difficult problems

• risk being wrong

• ask questions when confused

• think independently

Classrooms that rely heavily on comparison and evaluation can unintentionally discourage this courage.

When students fear looking wrong, they stop experimenting.

When they fear judgment, they stop asking questions.

Learning requires psychological safety and the freedom to struggle while maintaining dignity.

Frequently Asked Questions About Adlerian Education

Does Adlerian psychology apply to teaching?

Yes. Adler believed that people grow when they feel capable, responsible, and connected to others. Educational environments that emphasize encouragement, autonomy, and contribution tend to support stronger motivation.

What is the separation of tasks in education?

The separation of tasks means recognizing that teachers are responsible for teaching clearly, but students are responsible for engaging with learning. Motivation increases when students take ownership of their learning.

Why is intrinsic motivation important for students?

Intrinsic motivation helps students persist through challenges, retain knowledge longer, and develop independent thinking skills—abilities that extend far beyond school.

Final Thought

Education is often framed as the transmission of information. But Adlerian psychology suggests something deeper.

Learning is not just about acquiring knowledge. It is about developing the courage to think, question, and act independently.

Teachers cannot create that courage directly. But they can create environments where it becomes possible.

And when students begin to see learning as something they are responsible for—not something imposed on them—the entire experience of education begins to change.

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