C. G. JUNG'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO PSYCHOANALYSIS
SHELDON T. SELESNICK M.D.1
1 Research Assoc., Mt. Sinai Hospital, Los Angeles, Calif.
During a decade which was of decisive importance for the later development of psychoanalysis Jung made many significant contributions. His association experiments confirmed Freud's hypothesis of repression which proved to be the cornerstone of psychoanalytic theory. In turn, Jung applied the knowledge he gained from Freud to dementia praecox and never wavered in his conviction that the illness could be treated by psychological means. By stressing the connection between the physiological and psychological aspects of the disease, he was able to construct the first psychosomatic model for dementia praecox. Jung was instrumetnal in bringing Freud's writings to the attention of the scientific world and later played an important part in organizing the psychoanalytic movement. According to Jung, it was he who suggested to Freud that all psychoanalysts should go through a training analysis(28). Jung's application of psychoanalytic theory to the understanding of myths and their relationship to dreams and neuroses, rekindled Freud's interest in anthropology, eventuating in Totem and Taboo. Jung's most vital contribution, however, was in pointing out that Freud had failed to distinguish between neurotic and psychotic phenomena in the Schreber case. Freud, faced with the necessity of solving this problem, was spurred on to revise his libido theory. Freud's new understanding of narcissism suggested the nonlibidinal nature of parts of the ego instincts and paved the way for his final dualistic concept of the life instinct vs. the death instinct. Thus, Freud eventually broadened his concept of libido in his own fashion by combining it with the life instinct.
Although the process of cross-fertilization was productive for both sides, as far as Jung's own development was concerned Freud's theories had their major impact in the years before they met personally. In spite of his attraction to psychoanalysis and his transitory defence of its fundamental principles, Jung was never to stray from the path he indicated in his earliest work in 1902. The seeds of the collective unconscious were apparent even in this first dissertation. And from 1913 on, his abundant writings, elaborating those theories which today typify Jungian thought, reveal little or nothing of Freudian influence. On this score, psychoanalysts would agree that the eminent Swiss doctor deserves the distinction of being regarded independently. As he described himself to the librarian at the British Museum, he was and remains "only Jung."
