Adler, therefore, sees the development of mankind as the result of the surmounting of an inferiority feeling that, for better or for worse, is part of human nature. According to our view, the inferiority feeling, in the broad sense of the remarks above, is a very strong incentive, a trigger mechanism, but not the sole cause of man's evolution. We believe that the primary impetus for the development and unfolding of man has its roots in his immanent creative power. These are questions to which no conclusive answers can be given. Neither predisposition nor the environmental effect necessarily explain a person's basic behavior.
Adlerian psychology is very much a values-oriented psychology.
However, values have had a somewhat tenuous place in much of psychology. Some therapists argue that the therapist has no right to impose his or her values on the client. The client's values may also be explicit, but are more often only implicit in their interests, actions, and feelings. Consequently, we frequently gain clearer impressions of clients' values from what they do, rather than from what they say, especially if there are contradictions between the two. Metaphorically, values are like a personal compass on a private map of life.