Jungian archetypes are a concept from psychology that refers to a universal, inherited idea, pattern of thought, or image that is present in the collective unconscious of all human beings. As the psychic counterpart of instinct, archetypes are thought to be the basis of many of the common themes and symbols that appear in stories, myths, and dreams across different cultures and societies. The phrase 'psychic counterpart of instinct' means that archetypes are innate, symbolic, psychological expressions that manifest in response to patterned biological instincts.