DISSERTATIONS - 2009

Heroic models in child and adolescent development: a Jungian comprehension

Gustavo Orlandeli Marques

Advisor: Ceres Araújo
Key Words: hero, Jungian psychology, children, adolescent, heroic models
Abstract: This essay aims to verify the choice of heroic models of children and adolescents that are members of a social project as well as it generates reflection on their relations in the identity formation, according to the referential or Analytical Psychology. The heroic models were conceived as culture icons that receive projections of a symbolic life of the hero archetype which is needed to the psychic structure in human development. Interviews have been done to obtain the definition of a hero, the election of heroic models, their capacities and the use of these capacities in case subjects get them. The population was made of 188 subjects, children and adolescents of both sexes, taken care of for a social project, with the age between 06 to 16 years old. The method used was the quantitative and qualitative ones, having analytical answers created. The data obtained was analyzed accordingly to the referential of the Analytical Psychology. It was concluded that there is a large influence of the Christian religions on the population, which directly interferes in the definition and choice of the heroic models, no matter real or fictitious, as well as in the pointing of their abilities. Parents were also elected as heroes by a major part of the population, being attributed powers in their relation to the child. The variables gender and age were compared in all items, presenting percentage differences in some points representing different tendencies of age and gender. The use of powers presented statistic relevance according to use in other people’s benefit, making possible to reflect about the concept of generosity as archetype psychic instance.