• anima and animus
• archetypes
• collective unconscious
• conscious ego
• persona
• personal unconscious
• self
• shadow
Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) founded analytical psychology, perhaps the
most complex major theory of personality. It includes the presentation and
analysis of concepts and principles based on numerous disciplines within
the arts and sciences. Because this complexity is combined with Jung’s often
awkward writing, the task of mastering his theory is a challenge even for experts
in the field of personality. His key contribution was taking the study of
psychology beyond the claims made by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). Jung’s
emphasis on adult development and personality types and his willingness to
break with strict Freudian teachings were major contributions within the
history of psychology in general and personality in particular.
Jung’s theory can best be understood by examining the key structures he
proposes and the dynamics of personality. Jung divides the personality, or
psyche, into three levels: At the conscious level, there is the conscious ego.
The conscious ego lies at the center of consciousness. In essence, it is the
conscious mind—one’s identity from a conscious perspective. It is particularly
important to the person whose unconscious self is not yet fully developed.
As the unconscious self begins to develop, the importance of the conscious
ego will diminish.
Beneath the conscious ego is the personal unconscious. This level involves
material that has been removed from the consciousness of the person.
This information may leave consciousness through forgetting or repression.
Because the personal unconscious is close to the surface, which is
consciousness, items in it may be recalled at a later date. The personal unconscious
is similar to Freud’s notion of the preconscious. Material within
the personal unconscious is grouped into clusters called complexes. Each
complex contains a person’s thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and memories
concerning particular concepts. For example, the mother complex contains
all personal and ancestral experiences with the concept of mother. These
experiences can be both good and bad.
The deepest level of the psyche is called the collective unconscious. This
level contains the memory traces that have been passed down to all humankind
as a function of evolutionary development. It includes tendencies to
behave in specific ways, such as living in groups or using spoken language.
While each individual has his or her own personal unconscious, all people
share the same collective unconscious. The key structures within the collective
unconscious that determine how people behave and respond to their
environment are labeled archetypes. Each archetype enables people to express
their unique status as human beings.
consciousness, items in it may be recalled at a later date. The personal unconscious
is similar to Freud’s notion of the preconscious. Material within
the personal unconscious is grouped into clusters called complexes. Each
complex contains a person’s thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and memories
concerning particular concepts. For example, the mother complex contains
all personal and ancestral experiences with the concept of mother. These
experiences can be both good and bad.
The deepest level of the psyche is called the collective unconscious. This
level contains the memory traces that have been passed down to all humankind
as a function of evolutionary development. It includes tendencies to
behave in specific ways, such as living in groups or using spoken language.
While each individual has his or her own personal unconscious, all people
share the same collective unconscious. The key structures within the collective
unconscious that determine how people behave and respond to their
environment are labeled archetypes. Each archetype enables people to express
their unique status as human beings.
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