Chapter 14: Problem 3

What is the difference between personal unconscious and collective unconscious? How does the unconscious affect our personalities?

Short Answer

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Personal unconscious is unique to individuals and contains forgotten or suppressed experiences. Collective unconscious, shared by all human beings, contains archetypal experiences that shape our behaviors. Both types of unconscious contribute to shaping our personalities; personal unconscious influences our individual behaviors and emotions while collective unconscious influences shared behaviors and responses.

Step by step solution

Definition of Personal Unconscious

Personal unconscious is a term that Carl Jung used to represent our personal past that includes forgotten associations and repressed events that is unique for each person. It is the reservoir of material that once was conscious but has been forgotten or suppressed, which is unique to each individual.

Definition of Collective Unconscious

Collective unconscious, on the other hand, refers to structures of the unconscious mind which are shared among beings of the same species. It is proposed to be a part of the unconscious mind, expressed in humanity and all life forms with nervous systems. It consists of pre-existent forms, the archetypes, which can only become conscious secondarily and which give definite form to certain psychic contents.

Difference Between Personal and Collective Unconscious

In summary, the key difference between these two types of unconscious is their origin and their contents. Personal unconscious is unique to individuals, consisting of personal experiences and emotions. Collective unconscious, on the other hand, is shared by all human beings and contains archetypal experiences that shape our behaviors and perceptions.

Impact of Unconscious on Personalities

According to Jung, both personal and collective unconscious play significant roles in shaping our personalities. The personal unconscious includes forgotten or repressed experiences from our personal history that can affect our behavior and emotions. The collective unconscious consists of archetypes, shared by all humans, that can influence our shared behaviors and responses to the world around us. Lastly, our conscious decisions and experiences also contribute to our evolving personalities.

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What is the difference between personal unconscious and collective unconscious? How does the unconscious affect our personalities?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Definition of Personal Unconscious

Definition of Collective Unconscious

Difference Between Personal and Collective Unconscious

Impact of Unconscious on Personalities

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