''Psychology of the Unconscious'' (german: Wandlungen und Symbole der Libido) is an early work of

Carl Jung Carl Gustav Jung ( ; ; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961) was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology. Jung's work has been influential in the fields of psychiatry, anthropology, archaeology, literature, phi ...

, first published in 1912. The English translation by Beatrice M. Hinkle appeared in 1916 under the full title of ''Psychology of the Unconscious: a study of the transformations and symbolisms of the libido, a contribution to the history of the evolution of thought'' (London: Kegan Paul Trench Trubner). Hinkle's translation was reissued in 1992 as supplementary volume B to '' The Collected Works of C. G. Jung''. In 1952 Jung published a thoroughly revised version of the work, which was translated into English in 1956 as '' Symbols of Transformation'', reissued as volume five of the Collected Works. The book illustrates a theoretical divergence between Jung and Freud on the nature of the

libido Libido (; colloquial: sex drive) is a person's overall sexual drive or desire for sexual activity. Libido is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. Biologically, the sex hormones and associated neurotransmitters that act u ...

, and its publication led to a break in the friendship between the two men, both stating that the other was unable to admit he could possibly be wrong.

Overview

According to Jung, his work is an "extended commentary on a practical analysis of the

prodromal In medicine, a prodrome is an early sign or symptom (or set of signs and symptoms) that often indicates the onset of a disease before more diagnostically specific signs and symptoms develop. It is derived from the Greek word ''prodromos'', meaning ...

stages of

schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social wit ...

."Jung, Carl G. 9561967. '' Symbols of Transformation'', Collected Works 5. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. . p. xxv. The analysis is of the Miller Fantasies; the

fantasies Fantasy is a genre of fiction. Fantasy, Fantasie, or Fantasies may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Fantasia (music), a free-form musical composition * ''Fantasie'' (Widmann), a 1993 composition for solo clarinet by Jörg Widmann * ...

of Miss Frank Miller, an American woman Jung did not know, but whose writings he had encountered in the work of

Théodore Flournoy Théodore Flournoy (15 August 1854 – 5 November 1920) was a Swiss professor of psychology at the University of Geneva and author of books on parapsychology and spiritism. He studied a wide variety of subjects before he devoted his life to psych ...

. Jung wrote in his 1924 edition of the book that Miller's unusual name was a "

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

," which it was not. Miller, named for her father, was an Alabama-born performer and lecturer who often gave "speeches" in character as various cultural and historical figures. She published a few of her most vivid historic fantasies, with her own comments and impressions, in 1905 with an introduction by Flournoy. Jung explains their crucially significant mythological content and portending influence, declaring that Miller exhibited signs of "

" stages of

, and predicting that she would eventually suffer a schizophrenic breakdown. Jung was wrong; although Miller would indeed later receive psychiatric treatment, it was not for a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The Miller Fantasies are included as an appendix in ''Symbols of Transformation''. Jung would later acknowledge that in closely delving into the Miller Fantasies, he was in fact—without admitting it to himself—trying to analyze the same critical questions about his own

psyche Psyche (''Psyché'' in French) is the Greek term for "soul" (ψυχή). Psyche may also refer to: Psychology * Psyche (psychology), the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious * ''Psyche'', an 1846 book about the unconscious by Car ...

References

Works by Carl Jung 1912 non-fiction books 1916 non-fiction books Books about the unconscious mind Energy and instincts {{Psych-book-stub