Collective unconscious

Collective unconscious is a term that was originally coined by Carl Jung. He distinguished the collective unconscious from the personal unconscious, which is particular to each human being. The collective unconscious refers to that part of a person's unconscious which is common to all human beings. It is made up archetypes, which are forms or symbols that are manifested by all people in all cultures. Some say that this borders on metaphysics and thus is a major difference between Jung and his mentor, Sigmund Freud.

Further reading

• The Development of Personality
• Psychic conflicts in a child.

Jung, C., Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 17. Princeton University Press, 1970. 235 p. (p. 1-35).

See also

• Archetype
• Synchronicity