The Journal of the Korea Contents Association (한국콘텐츠학회논문지)

The Korea Contents Association (한국콘텐츠학회)
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American Presidential Candidates' Self-Reliance Spirit and Voters' Evaluations of Their Personal Traits

미국 대통령 후보자의 자립정신과 인격적 특성에 대한 유권자 평가

  • 김창남 (경희대학교 언론정보대학원)
  • Received : 2010.09.28
  • Accepted : 2010.10.25
  • Published : 2010.10.28
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Abstract

In the United States, a marked emphasis on personal achievement has been among enduring values characterizing American culture from the beginning of the republic. Particularly, Americans have attached great value to the spirit of self-reliance in striving for personal achievement. However, there have been few empirical studies focusing on the effects of Americans' self-reliant spirit on American electoral politics. Through a field experimentation focusing on the voters of Portage County in Ohio, this study examined the effects of Americans' self-reliant spirit on the evaluations of presidential candidates' personal traits, which constitute the candidates' character. The results of this study demonstrated that American voters evaluated those presidential candidates who were described as self-reliant significantly more favorably than the presidential candidates who were not so described, for 8 out of the 11 personal traits. The findings provide meaningful evidence for ascertaining the potential and legitimacy of the influences of the spirit of self-reliance, in the American society including electoral politics.

이 연구는 미국 오하이오주 포티지 카운티의 유권자들을 대상으로 한 실험연구를 통해 미국 대통령 후보자의 자립정신이 그들의 캐릭터를 구성하는 인격적 특성에 대한 유권자들의 평가에 어떤 영향을 미치는지 분석해 보았다. 이를 통해 이 연구는 미국인의 문화적 가치인 자립정신이 미국의 선거정치에 미치는 영향력을 가늠해 보았다. 연구결과, 미국 대통령 후보자의 자립정신은 이 연구에서 제시된 11개의 인격적 특성 중 정직성, 신뢰성, 동정심을 제외한 나머지 8개 인격적 특성에 대한 평가에서 의미있는 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 구체적으로, 미국 대통령후보자의 자립정신은 이들의 능력, 독립성, 결단력, 애국심, 리더십, 카리스마에 대한 유권자들의 평가에 큰 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 특히 미국 대통령 후보자의 자립정신은 그들의 카리스마에 가장 큰 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 이 분야에 대한 실증적 연구를 찾아보기 어려운 상황에서 이 연구는 미국인의 문화적 가치, 특히 자립정신이 그들의 선거정치에 미치는 영향력과 정당성을 확인하는 중요한 증거를 제시하고 있다.

Keywords

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