The collective unconscious, a concept by Carl Jung, refers to a universal layer of the unconscious mind shared by all humans. Unlike personal unconsciousness, which is based on individual experiences, the collective unconscious contains inherited, universal elements such as archetypes—recurring symbols and themes like the Hero, the Mother, or the Shadow—that appear across cultures in myths, dreams, and art. These archetypes are not learned but innate/inborn, shaping how people perceive and interpret the world on a deep, often unconscious level.