Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

What term did Carl Gustav Jung use to describe the dark side of every person?

1. Collective unconscious

2. Shadow

3. Ego

4. Persona

The correct answer is: Shadow

Carl Gustav Jung used the term "shadow" to describe the darker, often hidden aspects of an individual's personality. The shadow encompasses the traits and desires that individuals may repress or deny, reflecting the unconscious parts of their psyche that are often at odds with their conscious self-image. Recognizing and integrating the shadow is considered essential for personal growth and self-awareness, as it helps individuals understand and accept the less admirable parts of themselves. In contrast, the collective unconscious represents the shared memories and archetypes that all humans have, while the ego refers to the conscious part of the mind that deals with the reality of the external world. The persona represents the social mask that an individual presents to the world, often shaped by societal expectations. None of these concepts capture the idea of the darker, repressed elements of personality as powerfully as the term "shadow" does.