JUNG, CARL GUSTAV
Definition
Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who is best known for founding analytical psychology. Jung developed analytical psychology as a way to explore the unconscious mind, and he believed that this exploration could reveal the fundamental elements of an individual’s personality.
History
Jung was born in Kesswil, Switzerland in 1875. He was originally interested in pursuing a career in natural science, but his interest shifted to medicine and psychiatry during his medical studies at the University of Basel. During his medical training, Jung was exposed to the theories of Sigmund Freud, and he began to explore the psychological aspects of psychoanalytic theory. After completing his training in 1902, Jung worked with Freud in Vienna for several years. During this period, Jung developed his own theories of the unconscious mind and the role of archetypes in the formation of identity.
In 1912, Jung broke away from Freud and developed his own school of thought, which he called analytical psychology. Jung’s analytical psychology focused on exploring the unconscious mind and its influence on the conscious mind. Jung believed that the unconscious mind contained the fundamental elements of an individual’s personality, such as archetypes, which could be explored using analytical techniques.
Characteristics
Jung’s analytical psychology is often referred to as a “third force” between psychoanalysis and behaviorism. Jung believed that the unconscious mind contained the fundamental elements of an individual’s personality, such as archetypes and collective unconscious. He believed that these elements could be explored using analytical techniques such as dream analysis, active imagination, and free association. Jung also developed the idea of the “shadow”, which is the darker, hidden side of an individual’s personality that is often overlooked or repressed.
Jung also developed the concept of the “individuation process”, which is the process of an individual becoming aware of and integrating their unconscious and conscious aspects. Jung believed that this process could lead to psychological growth and greater self-awareness.
References
Chung, C., & Slattery, M. (2015). Jung, Carl Gustav. In Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8_739-1
Henderson, J., & Henderson, M. (2013). Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious. The International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 94(4), 761–779. https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-8315.12052
Jung, C.G. (2013). Psychology of the unconscious: A study of the transformations and symbolisms of the libido. Routledge.
Scott, S. (2017). Jung and the post-Jungians. Routledge.