The inherited dimension of the psyche according to the analytical psychology of Jung, Carl. Consisting of the entirety of human history and manifesting itself in the form of a system of archetype, the collective unconscious is what every human being has in common according to Jung. So although it is a very general idea, it also has quite specific manifestations, which can be seen instantiated in myths, symbols, and rituals. Within the psyche itself, the collective unconscious can be thought of as the most primitive dimension. The collective unconscious is mediated by the personal unconscious in the formation of the unified self. Further Reading: A. Stevens Jung (1994).