The mandala is an instrument associated with which theorist?

The mandala is an instrument associated with which theorist?

• A. Carl Jung
• B. Sigmund Freud
• C. BF Skinner
• D. Abraham Maslow

Answer: (A)

Carl Jung popularized the mandala as a symbol of the Self and a nonverbal way to access the unconscious. In Jungian theory, the mandala represents wholeness and is used in therapy to support individuation, the process of integrating conscious and unconscious aspects of the psyche. That link is what makes the mandala an instrument in Jungian and art-therapy practice. The other theorists come from different frameworks: Freud centers on unconscious drives and psychosexual development, Skinner focuses on observable behavior and reinforcement, and Maslow emphasizes self-actualization and the hierarchy of needs. None of these theories designate mandalas as a central therapeutic tool.

Carl Jung popularized the mandala as a symbol of the Self and a nonverbal way to access the unconscious. In Jungian theory, the mandala represents wholeness and is used in therapy to support individuation, the process of integrating conscious and unconscious aspects of the psyche. That link is what makes the mandala an instrument in Jungian and art-therapy practice. The other theorists come from different frameworks: Freud centers on unconscious drives and psychosexual development, Skinner focuses on observable behavior and reinforcement, and Maslow emphasizes self-actualization and the hierarchy of needs. None of these theories designate mandalas as a central therapeutic tool.