Who is associated with the concept of the collective unconscious and archetypes?

• A. Carl Rogers
• B. Viktor Frankl
• C. Carl Jung
• D. Sigmund Freud

Answer: (C)

The concept being tested is the collective unconscious and archetypes. Carl Jung proposed that beneath personal experiences lies a shared layer of the psyche—the collective unconscious—that is inherited and universal. This reservoir houses archetypes, fundamental patterns or motifs that show up across cultures in dreams, myths, and fairy tales. Archetypes aren’t learned from one’s environment; they are inherited predispositions that shape how people perceive the world, relate to others, and express growth or conflict. You might recognize archetypal patterns like the Hero, the Mother, the Wise Old Man, or the Shadow in stories, fantasies, and even in personal dreams, which helps explain why similar symbols recur across diverse cultures.

In practice, Jung’s idea helps explain why certain symbols feel meaningful to people who never met and who lived in different eras. Other psychologists focus on different aspects of the unconscious—Freud emphasized personal drives and conflicts, Rogers highlighted the self and growth through the therapeutic relationship, and Frankl emphasized meaning and purpose. Those approaches don’t center on a shared, inherited store of universal symbols, which is why the association with collective unconscious and archetypes points to Jung.