Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

arrow_back_ios_new
MENTAL MODEL · M1210

The Shadow

The Shadow
BehaviorHigh supportPersonality Psychology
Included
account_tree

Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

The negative parts of the personality that we repress and are unwilling to acknowledge (such as jealousy, greed, violence). We often project the shadow onto others ("I hate him because he is hypocritical" - actually because I have a hypocritical side).

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Knowing oneself and others: when you have a strong irrational aversion to someone, it is your shadow at work. Accepting the shadow (Individuation) is the way to become a whole person.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Jung proposed that the shadow is the dark side of the personality that is not accepted by the self and is repressed (desires, impulses, weaknesses), often projected onto others.

MINIMUM ACTION

In progress 0/3

Practice this model in one real situation:

Check to track your progress (stored locally)
Learning progress0%
account_treeGenealogyexpand_more
menu_bookReferencesexpand_more

Source support: Explicit

  • link
    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_ShadowZH · Explicit
    verified

RELATED MODELS

Related model

Big Five Personality Traits / OCEAN

The Big Five personality traits, also known as the five-factor model of personality or the OCEAN model, is a five-factor classification system for studying personality. It developed in the field of psychological trait theory from the 1980s. In the 1990s, the theory identified five factors, each of which can be further divided into two distinct values:.

arrow_forwardRelated model

Dark Triad

The dark triad is a psychological construct of personality traits, first introduced by Delroy L. Paulhus and Kevin M. Williams in 2002, that describes the relationship between three notably aversive but non-pathological personality traits: Machiavellianism, sub-clinical narcissism, and sub-clinical psychopathy.

arrow_forwardRelated model

Oedipus Complex

In classical psychoanalytic theory, the Oedipus complex is a son's sexual attitude towards his mother and concomitant hostility toward his father, first formed during the phallic stage of psychosexual development. A daughter's attitude of desire for her father and hostility toward her mother is refe…

arrow_forward