Retrospective and Prospective
Jung was concerned with the possibility of one's over-identification with their own persona, which would turn an individual into a stereotype born of social expectations and ambition, "unchildlike and artificial". The child archetype becomes of use in this case, strengthening the individual's link to their past by helping them recall childhood experiences and emotions.
In its prospective role, the child archetype is a representation of future potentialities and psychological maturation.
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