Archetypes In Carl Gustav Jung's Beliefs

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The Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung held the belief that archetypes served as models of personalities, people, and behaviour. He proposed that the psyche was made up of three (3) components: the ego (conscious mind), the personal unconscious (stores all memories, even suppressed ones), and the collective unconscious (contains all the knowledge and experiences shared by the human species).
Jung believed that archetypes existed within the collective unconscious, and suggested that these models are universal, hereditary and innate. Archetypes are unlearned, and serve to organize one's experiences.
Jung identified four (4) major archetypes, but also held the belief that there was “no limit to the number that may exist.” (psychology.about.com). These four archetypes are: the self, the shadow, the anima/animus, and the persona (other archetypes include: the hero, the child and the trickster).
The self represents the coherent whole resulting from the union of an individual's consciousness and unconsciousness. It is formed through a process referred to as 'individuation', within which the diverse aspects of personality are merged. Jung often depicted the self as a square, mandala, or circle.
The shadow consists of the life and sex instincts. The shadow is a component of the unconscious mind, and is made up of one's weaknesses, …show more content…

The anima is a feminine image within the male psyche, and the animus is a male image within the female psyche. They are the source of creativity, and represent the 'true self', as opposed to the image one presents to others. They are also the primary route of communication with the collective unconscious. The combination of the anima/animus is called the 'syzygy' or 'the divine couple', and symbolizes unification. Jung postulated that the development of the anima/animus commences with infant projection unto the mother, and projecting unto prospective partners until a lasting relationship can be

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