Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionII. Psychodynamic
Theories- Jung: Analytical
Psychology
(^126) © The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2009
theoretically achieved self-realization or individuation would have all four functions
highly developed.
Development of Personality
Jung believed that personality develops through a series of stages that culminate
in individuation, or self-realization. In contrast to Freud, he emphasized the second
half of life, the period after age 35 or 40, when a person has the opportunity to bring
together the various aspects of personality and to attain self-realization. However,
the opportunity for degeneration or rigid reactions is also present at that time.
The psychological health of middle-aged people is related to their ability in achiev-
ing balance between the poles of the various opposing processes. This ability is
proportional to the success achieved in journeying through the previous stages
of life.
Stages of Development
Jung grouped the stages of life into four general periods—childhood, youth, middle
life,and old age.He compared the trip through life to the journey of the sun through
the sky, with the brightness of the sun representing consciousness. The early morn-
ing sun is childhood, full of potential, but still lacking in brilliance (consciousness);
the morning sun is youth, climbing toward the zenith, but unaware of the impending
decline; the early afternoon sun is middle life, brilliant like the late morning sun, but
obviously headed for the sunset; the evening sun is old age, its once bright con-
sciousness now markedly dimmed (see Figure 4.4). Jung (1931/1960a) argued that
values, ideals, and modes of behavior suitable for the morning of life are inappro-
priate for the second half, and that people must learn to find new meaning in their
declining years of life.
120 Part II Psychodynamic Theories
TABLE 4.1
Examples of the Eight Jungian Types
Thinking
Feeling
Sensation
Intuition
Philosophers, theoretical
scientists, some inventors
Subjective movie critics, art
appraisers
Artists, classical musicians
Prophets, mystics, religious
fanatics
Research scientists, accountants,
mathematicians
Real estate appraisers, objective
movie critics
Wine tasters, proofreaders,
popular musicians, house
painters
Some inventors, religious
reformers
Functions Attitudes
Introversion Extraversion