Hi, I’m Ella-Grace and for my year 12 project I am researching Jungian psychology in relation to the development of the self and the process of individuation.

My question is: What is the process of individuation in relation to Jungian psychology, and how does it lead one to gaining a stronger sense of self?

My current thesis statement is: According to Carl Jung, in order to gain a stronger sense of self one must follow the process of individuation, obtaining awareness of the ego, the shadow, and the personas, then further begin the process of integration.

The concept of my topic stemmed from a deep interest in Greek Mythology and the symbolism such myths hold. My fascination with the analysis of Greek stories and the underlining psychological themes of which they depict sparked the idea of incorporating Mythology into my topic.

During the early stages of my research, I had originally wanted to explore the effects of Greek Mythology in relation to English Literature and modern psychology. Though I had a passion for this concept, I struggled to find academic research to help me comprehend it. This was because the topic was too broad, so, therefore, I needed to discover a way to refine it.

As I furthered my research, I made the decision to focus on the psychological aspects of Greek mythology, leading me to encounter the works of Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung. I had heard of Jung before; my mother and I have had countless conversations in relation to The Self, the importance of reflection, and conscious awareness. I have always been open to investing my efforts into the development of the self with a general understanding of what that entails. Once I dove deeper into the ideology of Jung, I realised this was the avenue I wanted to take.

The first term I became accustomed to was the shadow. The shadow is the depth of one's unconscious that withholds repressed, disquieting or unknown information of one's psyche. Often painful or traumatic events can be too much to confront, resulting in the repression of the memory. Though in saying that, the shadow is not all evil. Many people associate the shadow with being the immoral, criminal aspect of oneself, and though at times this may be the case, this is only a fraction of the shadow's definition. Though the shadow is in fact, dark, this is not so because it is evil; it is only dark because we have yet to shine light upon it. Within the depths of the shadow, there is the opportunity to alchemise the seemingly invaluable turmoil. Most people withhold more gold in the depths of their shadow than they do in their consciousness. So how can we befriend our shadow? One must learn to integrate it with the ego, bringing light to the darkness, granting vision to the blind spots of one's psyche.

Often, we can disregard our shadow, and prioritise our personas. Personas are social masks we all wear for different occasions. For example, my diligent student persona entirely opposes the persona I wear when spending time with friends. Personas are essential when navigating social interactions, the issue occurs when the ego becomes too attached to them, refusing to remove them, forgetting the persona is a social mask and not one's entirety. This hinders one's individuation process because they are failing to recognise their true selves and rather focus on the social image they choose to project.

My knowledge of the shadow, ego and personas were quite surface level, like most who are unfamiliar with the works of Jung. Though, I began to realise I had already found myself integrating my unconscious with my conscious self but was not yet acquainted with the Jungian language. After researching Jung’s theories, I find I now have a more in-depth understanding of what it takes to follow the process of individuation. This has granted me the chance to apply my research to the development of my own psyche. It has given me the opportunity to become more consciously aware of my shadow, as well as observing the behaviourial patterns of others.

I find myself constantly in a state of contemplation, searching for the meaning behind myself and other people's actions. I have further questioned my impulses and where they derive from, gaining awareness of my own projective tendencies and social masks, then further seeking those of others. I believe this project topic could not be more conducive to my current circumstances, given that year 12 seems to be a major year of self-development. Following this Jungian journey of individuation, I personally feel it is providing me with the skills and resources to understand myself to a more whole extent. Many people struggle with defining themselves as a self-assured individual. I cannot even entirely call myself one, but I am in the process of reaching that state.

Something I was quite surprised about was Jung’s ideology of the ego. I and many others alike had negative associations with the term. I had always assumed someone with a strong ego to be of great arrogancy with a disregard for the opinions of others, though from my findings, I have come to realise it is in actual fact the opposite. Someone with a strong ego has a strong sense of self. They can live harmoniously with their shadow with conscious awareness of their impulses, obtaining the skills and power to control them.  When one is accused of being egotistical, that is because they have a weak sense of security and are unable to move forward with no recognition of the future, only where it is or has been. The focal point of my research is how integrating the shadow with the conscious and rejecting the conformities of society can lead to a stronger ego, thus, a stronger sense of self.

River McDonald

Hi, my name is River Macdonald, and I am a year 12 student at PWS. I came to PWS at the end of year 10, and when I learnt of the year 12 project, I was both impressed and a bit intimidated. I really enjoyed watching the previous year 12 class's presentations at the end of last year, and the fact that I am now doing the year 12 project has taken a while to sink in. Over the last few years, I have become increasingly interested in philosophy and psychology, and the many ways that people view life and experience it. This led to what was my initial idea, which was centred around the ancient philosophy of Stoicism, and whether adopting a stoic mindset and practicing stoic teachings could alter one's mindset to become more positive and resilient, and whether this could lead to an increased quality of life. However, as I began looking into stoicism, I discovered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Mental health has a huge effect on our society and especially over the last few years especially it has become a major global issue. Each year there are increased numbers of people who report struggling with mental health, and I believe that there needs to be much more education around mental health as being aware of ways to treat these disorders will be beneficial to a lot of people. Discovering CBT and reading about how effective it is has really fascinated me, and led me forming to my current question:

What is Cognitive behavioural therapy, and what is its viability for treating current mental conditions and disorders?

In the 1960’s Psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck took ideas from Cognitive therapy and Behavioural therapy and began practicing what would eventually become known as Cognitive Behavioural therapy. CBT was first designed for patients diagnosed with depressive and anxiety disorders, and it was discovered that depressed patients had underlining negative thoughts and beliefs that were often associated with a loss or a failure. Research also found that how a person thought about a situation often dictated their negative reactions more so than the actual situation itself. This became known as the cognitive model and was the beginning of what would become one of the most influential and widely used therapies today. Since its beginnings it has evolved to effectively treat a wide range of conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), bipolar disorders, and personality disorders, as well as other conditions such as phobias, sleep disorders, eating disorders, sexual disorders, schizophrenia, and emotional disorders (to just name a few).

One of the most interesting things I have discovered from my research is the “third wave” of CBT, which refers to the integration of principles such as acceptance, mindfulness, and non-judgmental awareness techniques with traditional CBT. This “third wave” introduced new forms of therapy that come under the CBT umbrella, such as mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), and cognitive behavioural therapy for psychosis (CBTp). I have been researching these “umbrella therapies” and one of the key facts that I have taken away is just how important deliberate thinking is when it comes to our mental health. I am enjoying learning about CBT and the therapies that fall under it, as psychology has always been an intertest of mine.

Finding a way to link my project with a practical was difficult at first but I have recently decided upon an idea that I am happy with. I am still looking for a mentor for my year 12 project. If anyone has had any experience with Cognitive Behaviour therapy or is a professional in the phycology field, I would love to get in touch and chat. I can be contacted on rjahli@student.pws.wa.edu.au and 11RiverMac@gmail.com .

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Sophia Pimm

Hi, my name is Sophia Pimm and for my Year 12 Project, I have chosen to explore the topic of karma, and I will be answering the question:

“What is karma and what are the benefits for the individual of incorporating the principles of karma into their life?”

I have always been fascinated by the concept of karma, constantly hearing others say, “What goes around, comes around”, or “That’s instant karma”, and it wasn’t until recently, it clicked that that phrase is the basic understanding of karma and the ever-long cycle of intention, cause, and effect. Karma is a relevant topic in all our lives; regardless of whether we believe in it or not. I’m sure we’ve all experienced the reciprocations of our past actions, and the most important thing we can do is to learn from them.

Karma is a belief that originated within Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, and the Sanskrit word ‘karma’ literally translates to ‘action.’ Karma is widely believed in many religions, all over the world, and the specifics differ slightly but karma generally denotes the cycle of cause and effect and that every action or intention we have or do, both good and bad, has an equal consequence in this lifetime or the next.

My initial ideas for a karma-related project topic were to compare the Eastern and Western perceptions of karma, and whether the superficial belief of karma in Western cultures leads to the current crises of materialism, self-absorption, and the wanting of egotistical status. I quickly grasped that that was an enormous topic, as well as an accusation to the West, but also, I wouldn’t have nearly enough time to explore it. I still found that I had a deep interest in that particular concept, so I incorporated the aspects of crises we face in today’s society into my thesis.

As I deepen my research, my perspective of karma has changed drastically. If I’m being honest, when I first was introduced to the concept, I believed that it was instantaneous and that the result of an action would happen almost immediately. Now that I am more familiar with the concept of karma, I believe that it is hardly as superficial as our Western culture depicts it to be. According to the law of karma, everyone is a subject of it, and some benefit, while many do not! I like to think of karma being everyone’s puppeteer, and by not being able to escape karma’s grasp, I feel as if it is a fundamental key to the way we as humans live and exist.

While researching, something that really sparked my interest was that by incorporating the principles or having a strong belief in karma cuts down the consumerist habits that most people face each day. Having a weak belief in karma increases the likelihood of overconsumption of unnecessary products and contributes to the current crisis of materialism. A study shows that individuals with mortality salience (the awareness of their inevitable death) and an absent belief in karma tend to excessively consume clothing and products that aren’t necessary and want higher status in society. When one is conscious of the effects of their actions, they will consider the bigger picture and may lean towards other more ethical options that don’t damage the environment.

I am still finalising the details of my practical, but I aim to record and release a podcast where I will discuss and analyse my personal findings with karma, as well as interview others who experience the benefits, or possibly lack thereof, of karma. Many people, especially in our current age, choose to live a simpler, less materialistic life; whether they want to improve their well-being, morally and ethically wise, or want to facilitate more responsible and conscious intentions. Regardless, by researching a topic and making a podcast that explores the product of incorporating karma into their life, I hope the conversations may spark ideas in others’ minds and then want to reap the benefits of karma.

So far, I have found the project process a little overwhelming, while also very rewarding. By researching a concept that is so integral to the way we as humans live, after I graduate school, I will still find myself experiencing the fruit of karma and focusing on getting the good out of it. It is easily a concept that I can transfer into everyday life, not just for the sake of my project, and to me, that is the ultimate goal.

If anyone is interested in contacting me about your individual experiences with karma, or whether you incorporate the principles of karma into your life, feel free to contact me via sophpimm@outlook.com, and I’d love to get in touch!

Saoirse Edwards-O'Neill

Hi, my name is Saoirse Edwards-O’Neill, for my Class 12 project I am exploring criminal determinism. Determinism is the philosophical theory that every event in the universe, including human behaviour is causally inevitable; everything that has ever happened and will ever happen was always going to happen; and is the only possible outcome that could have occurred. I inadvertently stumbled upon determinism while reading about fatalism in main lesson last year. I was initially intrigued by fatalism because of the philosophical aspect of it, it was often compared to determinism, which I found aligned better with my beliefs (or so I thought) and is the reason I chose it as the topic for my project.

Once I had settled on determinism, I quickly realised that I would have to narrow down the topic into something more manageable. It seemed obvious to me to look into the role that determinism plays in criminal behaviour, as I have always been deeply fascinated with true crime and the motivations behind criminal behaviour. When it comes to criminals, people like to bring up nature vs nurture, but through my research, it has become exceedingly evident that criminality is dependent on nature and nurture. Behavioural determinism is dictated by both internal and external stimuli, the environment an individual is exposed to (particularly in childhood), and their genetic makeup. Criminal behaviour cannot be reduced to just one cause within these categories, or even a specific series of causes; instead, it is a culmination of risk factors that lead to criminal behaviour. The more risk factors an individual possess, the more prone they are to become involved in criminal activity.

There is sufficient evidence proving that criminal behaviour is deterministic, what I am aiming to figure out is to what extent, and it is here where the question of free will comes into play. Many individuals hold differing interpretations of free will, but the general consensus I have found is that it is characterised by these three aspects: conscious decision, the ability to have chosen otherwise, and responsibility for your actions. Many philosophers, however, claim this is incompatible with the notion of determinism. This is what lead me to ask the question:

Is criminal behaviour entirely determined by an individual’s external environment and genetic makeup, if so, does that negate the possibility of free will?

When I first began to toy with the possibility that free will is in fact, an illusion, I found myself unravelling my whole belief system. Up until the end of last year, I -much like the majority of the world’s population- was of the belief that I had free will. Over the past few months of reading differing facts and opinions, my confidence in that belief has swayed back and forth. What I find most interesting to explore is the moral implications of this potential lack of free will, and the role that blame and responsibility has in a world where criminals do not commit crimes out of their own volition.

I have found it somewhat challenging to research this topic because the nature of it is very philosophical and deals with conceptual difficulties. This has also made it hard to come up with ideas for a practical. Though what I’m planning to do is create a murder mystery game, it will essentially set up virtual scenarios that demonstrate the ways in which an action is determined by a series of environmental factors and genes, in other words, how an effect is influenced by a series of causes, the effect in this instance being murder.