Word Association Test: PRESENTATION

Jung became interested in The Word Association Experiment (WAE) early in his career while he was working at the Burgholzli Hospital.  In fact, this work provided much of the impetus towards the first meeting between Freud and Jung. Since then, the WAE has been found to be a useful tool that helps identify and measure our complexes, or ‘hot spots’.  It also reveals how complexes are connected to one another. This Stage 2 course is in two parts.  The first part (two seminars in September and October, 2024) will introduce the experiment, outline the protocol by which it is conducted, and show how it isolates the complex.  The seminar leader will present a case study to illustrate the way it is used.

The second part (and third seminar) will take place during the Spring semester where Stage Two candidates will present the results of a WAE they have conducted.  Prior to administering this experiment, candidates are required to participate in the September and October seminars. 

Required reading. 

• C.G. Jung. (1973)
  • CW 2: Experimental Researches. Princeton University Press. (Especially: “The Psychopathological Significance of the Association Experiment,” §863 ff. and
  • “The Association Method,” §939 ff.)

Suggested reading:   

• Jung, C.G. (1987).  CW 18 “The Tavistock Lectures” (II and III, §74 ff.)
• Meier, C.A. (1984) The Unconscious in Its Empirical Manifestations. Sigo Press. (pp. 65-149)
• Kast, Verena. “The Association Method in Therapeutical Practice”, (to be provided by the seminar leader)