Psychodynamic Perspective from Jung's POV

Jung

saw “mental energy” as a better term for Freudian concept of libido and sexuality

libido as psychic energy that drives all aspects of life

engaged in self-analysis and treatment of himself

psyche, the self, archetypes, attitudes

Jung’s personality basic concepts

viewed aspects of personality as balanced (rather than in opposition, as was the case with the id, ego, and superego)

goal is individuation

behavior is determined by past events and by future goals and aspirations

personality development continues throughout the lifespan

expanded the view of the unconscious (more than just a repository of repressed urges/conflicts; also important to goals, creativity, and growth)

individuation

development of a unique identity due to the integration of the conscious and unconscious aspects of the psyche (a true Self)

psyche

a regulating system that aims to find balance (homeostasis)

composed of conscious and unconscious processes

goal is individuation / wholeness to create a distinct Self

components

• conscious

• personal unconscious

• collective unconscious

components of the psyche

influence behavior and dreams, myths, and cultural symbols

conscious

personal unconscious

collective unconscious

Self

a unified collection of the different parts of the personality (the ultimate goal of individuation / psychological wholeness)

personal unconscious

a region of mind that is completely below conscious awareness (as opposed to the conscious ego)

experiences that were unconsciously perceived

experiences / thoughts that were once conscious, but have since been repressed

complexes

prospective function

compensatory function

complexes

e.g., mother complex, hero complex

“splinter psyches”→ mini personalities formed in response to trauma

collection of thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and memories centered around a particular theme (like power or status)

triggered by emotional events

prospective function

help a person look into the future

compensatory function

help to balance our unconscious with our one-sided conscious (i.e., dreaming about our hopes / wishes, not about reality)

collective unconscious

storage center for latent memory traces that have been passed down from one generation to the next

hereditary wisdom passed along from generation to generation to ease survival of the species

archetypes

archetypes

primordial images

universal thoughts, symbols, or images that cause people to experience and understand certain phenomena in a universal way (“mother”, “hero”)

ancestral experiences that are revealed to us through dreams, fantasies, and delusions

examples (most important to personality development)

• persona

• animus (f) / anima (m)

• shadow

are expressed similarly across cultures, so are considered to be universal in their purpose and expression

persona archetype

public mask

what people see of us (too important or too disparate: can result in a shallow personality and disconnection from one’s identity)

animus and anima archetypes

inherited expectations of femininity/masculinity (guide our choices in romantic partners)

shadow archetype

the “dark side” of personality

instinctual in nature

attitude

people consciously orient themselves toward their environment with one ___

how we direct and receive energy

two types→ both present in everyone’s personality

• extroverted

• introverted

extroverted attitude

outward orientation of psychic energy / the libido

externalizing symptoms; focus on others

introverted attitude

inward orientation of psychic energy / the libido

internalizing symptoms; focus on the self

four psychological functions of personality

to perceive, navigate, and judge our world

one dominant function is expressed outwardly on a conscious level to make decisions / guide perception

all are present

• sensation

• thinking

• feeling

• intuition

sensation

perception of concrete reality (use of senses)

thinking

logical, rational, objective, analytical

feeling

emotional, moral

intuition

gut

origins of maladaptive behavior

there is a disconnect between the conscious and the personal / collective unconscious

symptoms are messages that something isn’t right internally

therapy to help a client become more aware of their inner world

• use of dream interpretation (dreams as an unconscious message to the client)

• in comparison to Freud, more focus on now than on childhood

• optimistic view of people and humanity

• focus on the healthy aspects of personality

Jungian assessment

word association test

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

word association test

Jung was the first to use in a clinical setting to help determine problematic complexes

analysis of the word said and responses brought upon by particular words

after identifying problematic complexes, the analyst and client work through causes by looking more deeply into the client’s complexes and archetypes

MBTI

objective, self-report; 126 pairs of opposing statements

assess the two attitude types and four functions

outcome is one of 16 personality types

examines different ways people interpret information and make decisions

used in corporate settings and for research to determine the connection between cognitive processes and personality