fei75766_ch04_107-148.indd 133  02/19/20 09:00 AM
Chapter 4    Jung: Analytical Psychology133
sexual pervert since heisdoing likewise withsexual fantasies” (Jung, 1975, p.186). 
Nevertheless, Jungasserted thatthepsyche could notbeunderstood bytheintellect 
alone butmust begrasped bythetotalperson. Along thesame line,heonce said,
“Not everything Ibring forth iswritten outofmyhead, butmuch ofitcomes from the
heart also” (Jung, 1943/1953, p.116).
Junggathered dataforhistheories from extensive reading inmany disciplines, 
buthealsogathered datafrom hisuseoftheword association test,dream analysis, 
active imagination, andpsychotherapy. Thisinformation wasthencombined with
readings onmedieval alchemy, occult phenomena, oranyother subject inaneffort to
confirm thehypotheses ofanalytical psychology.
Word Association Test
Jungwasnotthefirsttousetheword association test,buthecanbecredited with
helping develop andrefine it.Heoriginally usedthetechnique asearly as1903 when 
hewasayoung psychiatric assistant atBurghöltzli, andhelectured ontheword asso-
ciation testduring histripwithFreud totheUnited States in1909. However, he
seldom employed itinhislatercareer. Inspiteofthisinattention, thetestcontinues 
tobeclosely linked withJung’s name.
Hisoriginal purpose inusing theword association testwastodemonstrate the
validity ofFreud’s hypothesis thattheunconscious operates asanautonomous pro-
cess.However, thebasic purpose ofthetestinJungian psychology today istouncover 
feeling-toned complexes. Asnoted inthesection oflevels ofthepsyche, acomplex 
isanindividualized, emotionally toned conglomeration ofimages grouped around a
central core. Theword association testisbased ontheprinciple thatcomplexes cre-
atemeasurable emotional responses.
Inadministering thetest,Jungtypically usedalistofabout 100stimulus words 
chosen andarranged toelicit anemotional reaction. Heinstructed theperson to
respond toeachstimulus word withthefirstword thatcame tomind. Jungrecorded 
eachverbal response, timetaken tomake aresponse, rateofbreathing, andgalvanic 
skinresponse. Usually, hewould repeat theexperiment todetermine test–retest 
consistency.
Certain types ofreactions indicate thatthestimulus word hastouched a
complex. Critical responses include restricted breathing, changes intheelectrical 
conductivity oftheskin,delayed reactions, multiple responses, disregard ofinstruc -
tions, inability topronounce acommon word, failure torespond, andinconsistency 
ontest–retest. Other significant responses include blushing, stammering, laughing, 
coughing, sighing, clearing thethroat, crying, excessive body movement, andrepeti -
tionofthestimulus word. Anyoneorcombination ofthese responses might indicate 
thatacomplex hasbeen reached (Jung, 1935/1968; Jung&Riklin, 1904/1973).
Dream Analysis
Jungagreed withFreud thatdreams havemeaning andthattheyshould betaken 
seriously. Healsoagreed withFreud thatdreams spring from thedepths oftheuncon -
scious andthattheirlatent meaning isexpressed insymbolic form. However, he
objected toFreud’s notion thatnearly alldreams arewishfulfillments andthatmost Final PDF to printer