ABSTRACT

Ansbacher and Ansbacher (1979) considered social interest, or Gemeinschaftsgefühl, to be “probably Adler’s most significant concept” (p. 41). O’Connell (1991) referred to it as “Adler’s most penetrating and basic concept” (p. 26). Nevertheless, the concept remains difficult to understand in its fullest sense and remains in need of greater clarification and acceptance (Manaster, 1991). The purpose of this article is to shed a ray of experiential light on Gemeinschaftsgefühl by exploring it in the context of Husserl’s (1931, 1970) phenomenological philosophy, which is grounded in human consciousness and experience.