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VOL. 13, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Collective unconscious and crowd behavior: an integrative review of psychoanalytic and social psychological perspectives
Authors
Phí Thị Hiếu
Abstract
This article provides an
integrative review of theoretical and empirical research on the collective
unconscious and crowd behavior, bridging classical psychoanalytic formulations
with contemporary social psychological approaches. Drawing on foundational
insights from Freud and Jung, the study examines how unconscious affective
processes and shared symbolic structures shape collective identification,
emotion, and action. The review systematically synthesizes findings from
peer-reviewed literature across psychoanalysis, social identity theory, and
affective science, covering publications from 2000 to 2025. Three major
thematic areas are identified: (1) the conceptual evolution of the collective
unconscious, emphasizing its relevance to modern understandings of group
emotion and social cognition; (2) empirical investigations into collective
phenomena, including emotional contagion, identity fusion, and archetypal
symbolism in digital and physical crowds; and (3) applied implications for
social cohesion, media communication, and governance in emotionally charged
collective contexts. Results indicate that unconscious processes continue to
underlie crowd dynamics, influencing both prosocial mobilization and
destructive mass behavior. The integration of psychoanalytic and social
psychological perspectives reveals that collective action is neither irrational
nor purely cognitive, but a complex synthesis of symbolic meaning, affective
resonance, and identity formation. Policy implications highlight the importance
of emotional literacy, symbolic communication, and empathetic governance in
addressing large-scale collective phenomena in contemporary societies.
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Pages:216-222
How to cite this article:
Phí Thị Hiếu "Collective unconscious and crowd behavior: an integrative review of psychoanalytic and social psychological perspectives". International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, Vol 13, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 216-222
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