• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.19-37
• /
• 2008

The youth unemployment issue has not shown any improvement in years. The purpose of this study was to observe how employment issues affecting university students influence their life aims, self-efficacy, view of reality, view of the future, and life satisfaction. 239 students from three universities located in Seoul and Gyeonggi province were assessed through the instrument FLL and questions about employment issues, their life aims, life satisfaction and also their employment perspective. A total of 34 items of the FLL were divided through factor analysis into six higher life aims, self-love, family love and interpersonal aims, personal-financial aims, social-public aims, moral aims and political and ideological aims. Using Cluster analysis, three group profiles were found depending on the employment perspective such as a better view of reality, better self-efficacy, and better life satisfaction. A t-test was conducted in order to compare the two groups classified according to favorable or unfavorable employment perspectives. No significant differences existed between the groups in the perception of youth unemployment or in social-demographic factors, such as gender, age, and academic year. However, in life aims, the unfavorable group showed significantly higher interest in the domains of family love and interpersonal aims, personal -financial aims, and social-public aims than the favorable perspective group. Conversely, this group showed a significantly greater negative view of reality in most life domains, as it evaluated that its aims are more poorly achieved than the comparable group. Also, the unfavorable perspective group showed a lesser degree of self-efficacy in most life domains and the same in the category of life satisfaction, i.e., lesser satisfaction in all life domains except for family love, and moral aims. However, no significant difference existed between the groups in the view of the future. The results were discussed in relation to other social-cognitive factors for life satisfaction found in preceding studies.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.129-160
• /
• 2006

The purposes of this study were to find 1) the realities of social anxiety and perception of various kinds of social problems that exists in Korean society as well as the perception on the events that causes the social anxiety, 2) to see the difference of perceived level of social anxiety through variables of social demography and difference of perception on Korean society. The sample was distributed according to population size distinguishing the nation to 6 regions. The data of 1,375 adult respondents were analysed. The results are as follows. First of all, respondents mentioned that the most immediate problem to be solved in Korean society was financial anxiety, and the most desirable state of society was when the society is financially stabled. Single question was measured about social anxiety of Korean society and scored 6.84 from full marks of 10, showing difference in variables for instance sex, age, and subjective S.E.S. where women, aged under 20, and perceived low class group showed the highest rate of social anxiety. However, there weren't any difference found in social anxiety of the variables like presence of religion, educational background, residence, and monthly average household income. Also, there were differences in level of social anxiety according to the difference of perception of Korean society. Higher the perceived unpredictability, uncontrollability, and unmovability to the upper class, unfairness, and uncertainty, unreliability of the Korean society, higher the social anxiety. And the lower the perceived chance of success of reformation, higher the social anxiety. It was also found that the perceived social anxiety is influenced by social accidents and phenomenon as unemployment, economic depression, and the gap between rich and poor as well as the increase of crime through effluence of personal information. Finally the limitations and implications of this study were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.62-74
• /
• 2023

Much attention has been focused on the Baekpoman area due to the archaeological achievements of the past, but studies on prehistoric times when villages began to form is insufficient, and the Bronze Age village landscape was examined in order to supplement this. In the area of Baekpo Bay, the natural geographical limit connected to the inland was culturally confirmed by the distribution density of dolmens, and the generality of the Bronze Age settlement was confirmed with the Hwangsan-ri settlement. Bunto Village in Hwangsan-ri represents a farming-based village in the Baekpo Bay area, and the residential group and the tomb group are located on the same hill, and it is composed of three individual residential groups, and the village landscape had attached buildings used as warehouses and storage facilities. In the area of Baekpo Bay, it spread in the Tamjin River basin and the Yeongsan River basin where Songgukri culture and dolmen culture were integrated, and the density distribution of the villages was considered to correspond to the distribution density of dolmens. In order to examine the landscape of village distribution, the classification of Sochon-Jungchon-Daechon was applied, and it was classified as Sochon, a sub-unit constituting the village, in that the number of settlements constituting the village in the Bronze Age was mostly less than five. There are numerical differences between Jungchon and Daechon, and the distribution pattern does not necessarily coincide with the hierarchy. The three individual residential groups of Bunto Village in Hwangsan-ri are Jungchon composed of complex communities of blood relatives with each family community, and a stabilized village landscape was created in the Gusancheon area. In the area of Baekpo Bay, Bronze Age villages formed a landscape in which small villages were scattered around the rivers and formed a single-layered relationship. Dolmens (tombs) were formed between the villages and villages, and seem to have coexisted. Sochondeul is a family community based on agriculture, and it is believed that self-sufficient stabilized rural villages that live by acquiring various wild resources in rivers, mountains, and the sea formed a landscape.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.19-41
• /
• 2010

This study aims to investigate how religious orientation of college students and the religious fundamentalism are related to their subjective well-being, and the interaction of religious orientations and the religious fundamentalism on their well-being. The participants were 374 college students who studies at an university located in Seoul, whose average of age were 22.54 (SD=4.79). The psychological tests used in this research included the following: I/E-R, the Religious Fundamentalism Scale, the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, Emotion Frequency Test, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale, Life Satisfaction Motivation Scale, and Life Satisfaction Expectancy Scale. Although religious students experienced more religious well-being than non-religious students, their subjective well-being were not higher than those of non-religious students. Results reveal that religious orientations were positively related to subjective well-being such as life satisfaction, subjective happiness, and positive emotions, as well as spiritual well-being. However, those covariance was approximately 4~6% only. Religious fundamentalism was also positively related to spiritual well-being and life satisfaction, it was negatively related to the motivation to live though. On the other hand, moderate effects of the religious fundamentalism on the relations of religious orientations to most of subjective well-being variables. Results of simple main effect analyses indicated that the students who were strongly oriented toward religion with higher religious fundamentalism showed significantly higher existential well-being, positive emotions, life satisfaction, subjective happiness, and especially their motivation and expectation for future life, whereas there were no significant differences in subjective well-being of students with lower religious fundamentalism by religious orientation. This finding suggests that some religiosity variables could affect human well-being with interactions

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.139-178
• /
• 2003

This study investigates Koreans respondents' perception of American society, American people and its influence in Korea and the world. These analyses have been conducted to provide the psychological, social and cultural basis for understanding the anti-American sentiments among Korean junior high school students, university students and adults. American influence is further divided into American influence on Korean society, on North-South Korean unification, and in the world. In addition, respondents' knowledge of the USA, their satisfaction with the current political functioning, and background information were obtained. A total of 763 respondents (171 junior high school students, 250 university students, and 342 parents of junior high school students) completed a survey questionnaire developed by the first two authors. The overall results indicate that the respondents had a negative view of the USA and its influence in Korea and the world. Majority of respondents perceive American society as being commercial, exclusionary, and ethnocentric. Some respondents perceive American society as being democratic and advanced. As for American people, they are perceive them as being selfish and at the same time independent and carefree. The trust for American society is very low. As for American influence in Korea, it is perceived it as creating dependency and less likely to be perceived as promoting progress and development. As for North-South Korean relations, respondents perceive the USA as interfering with the unification of two Koreas. Finally, respondents perceive the USA as a superpower with imperialistic and dominating tendencies and they were less like to perceive the USA as promoting democracy and justice. Significant differences across the age groups have been found with the junior high school students holding the most negative view about the USA and their parents holding the most positive view of the USA. University students had mixed views of the USA. holding both positive and negative views of the USA. Those respondents with greater dissatisfaction of the political system and with less knowledge about the USA has more negative views of the USA.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.95-132
• /
• 2009

Can money buy happiness? If not, what are the factors that influence happiness? What makes people happy? What are the factors that influence happiness among Korean adults? How can we better explain factors that influence happiness? These are the research questions that led to the analyses of psychological, relational, financial resources that influence happiness. To examine differences in socio-economic status, adults and elderly from three different districts that vary wealth and income were interviewed in their own home. A total of 313 respondents (male=133, female=180) between the ages of 20 through 80 completed a questionnaire that contained background information, emotional support scale and happiness scale developed by the present researcher and resiliency of efficacy developed by Bandura(1995). The results are as follows. First, monthly income influence happiness to some extent, but when the variable was excluded from the path analysis, the goodness-of-fit did not change significantly. Although those who have more money can be happier, those without much money can also be happy. These results indicate that financial resource has limited influence on happiness. In addition, monthly income did influence self-efficacy of respondents indicating that those with more money were not necessarily more confident about themselves. Second, an important factor influencing happiness is the relational resource. Emotional support was the most powerful predictor of happiness, four to five times more important than monthly income. Third, self-efficacy influenced happiness. Those respondents with higher resiliency of efficacy had higher happiness scores and the influence was two times greater than monthly income. Moreover, self-efficacy played a mediating role between emotional support and happiness. Fourth, those respondents with higher occupational achievement reported higher happiness score and the influence was two times greater than monthly income. Fifth, success of children influenced happiness score and the influence was 1.5 times greater than monthly income. Sixth, education did not directly influence happiness, but had an indirect influence through self-efficacy and occupational achievement. Seventh, age was not related to self-efficacy and happiness.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.103-139
• /
• 2002

Korean society has significantly changed with the onset of a dramatic economic crisis in 1998. From 2000, however, the Korean economy has recovered and currently Korea is enjoying a similar standard of living and economic growth as the pre-1998 levels. This study is a follow-up analysis, comparing the results examining the success attribution of Korean students and adults in 2001 with the results obtained before the economic crisis in 1997. Using the indigenous psychological approach, this study compares the similarities and differences in Korean students and adults' attribution of their personal success before and after the economic crisis. A total of 988 participants, consisting of 481 primary, junior high, senior high and university students and 507 adults (236 fathers and 271 mothers of the students) completed the questionnaire developed by Kim and Park (1998). The results indicate that students perceived their academic achievement and adults perceived successful family life as their most proud achievement. Successful family life included items such as academic success of children, healthy development of their children, and harmonious family life. The person who provided the most significant support for students were parents and for adults, it was their spouse. For students, the importance of friends' social support increased during the high school years. In terms of type of social support, emotional support was reported to be the most important for both students and adults. As for the reason for their success, majority of students and men reported self-regulation and for women, supportive family environment was reported as being the most important. Comparing 2001 results with the 1997 results, the importance of family increased after the economic crisis. Even with the dramatic economic crisis, however, some of the underlying pattern remain strong (such as importance of academic achievement for students, family life for adults, the importance of social support, especially emotional social support from family members, and believing that self-regulation would lead to success). The similar pattern of results obtain before and after the economic crisis indicate that the above results reflect a fundamental values and belief system deeply imbedded in Korean mentality.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.41-59
• /
• 2003

The present study was conducted to (1) explore the perceptions of Korean men and women about what is an important relationship for them and how do each gender group construe relational self, and (2) develop the scale to assess the factors of relational self and verify construct validity of the scale. 40 college students and 60 adults participated in survey and FGI (Focused Group Interview) respectively, and content analysis of their responses yielded 2 categories with 39 characteristics of relational self. The one category was named 'instrumentality' which was important to men and the other was named 'expressivity' which was important to women. The list of 39 items was administered to a nationwide sample of 1503 Korean adults to assess their construal of relational self through the 6-point Likert scale. Principal axis factor analysis showed that the two categories were unidimensional with high reliability. As a result of factor analysis on each category, a total of 9 factors were extracted. Specifically, the instrumentality consisted of factors such as utilitarianism, independence, initiativeness, self-assurance, and competence. And the factors of expressivity were empathy, passiveness, dependency, consideration. The tests of mean difference revealed that men had higher scores in most of the instrumental factors, while women had higher scores in most of the expressive factors. But there was no sex difference in the interdependent self-construal scale(Cross, 2000) which has been frequently used for measuring relational self. This is related to the Korean's collective cultural characteristics, and it was concluded that the relationship with others is very important to both Korean men and women, but the meaning and expectation of the relationship as well as the method for its preservation are different to each sex group. In addition, the correlation analyses indicated that the feminity score was positively correlated with the expressiveness while the masculinity score was positively correlated with instrumentality. This result implicated the differences of relational self among Korean people were related to the socialization process of each sex, i.e., sex role identity. Finally, limitations of this study and the directions for future research were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.91-119
• /
• 2005

This study examines the perception and trust of Korean society and people among students and adults using the indigenous psychological analysis. A matched sample of 1,107 participants, consisting of 369 students, their mothers and their fathers completed a questionnaire developed by the present researchers. The results indicate that parents more likely than adolescents to hold negative views of Korean society. Adults are more likely than adolescents to view Korean society as showing high ingroup favoritism, to be insecure, to be conservative, to be corrupt, and to have social inequities. Both groups agree that Korean society is not rational nor democratic, but believe that it has the potential for progress. Second, parents are more likely to hold negative views about Korean people. Adults are more likely than adolescents of viewing Korean people as overly conscious about social face, emotional, selfish, exclusionary, and conceited. Both adolescents and their parents agree that Koreans are cooperative, full of jung (deep affection and attachment), and sincere. Third, adults are less likely to trust Korean institutions than adolescents. Adults are less likely than adolescents to trust National Assembly, political parties, and unions. Adolescents are more likely than their parents to trust family members, school friends, teachers, and government employees. These results indicate that adolescents have higher trust of Korean society and people than their parents. Fifth, the overall results indicate that both group perceive Korean society as showing high ingroup favoritism and corruption. In terms of Korean people, respondents had a more balanced view of perceiving them as highly sensitive to social face and being emotional, while also perceiving them as cooperative and full of jung. The trust of Korean institutions were generally low, especially the National Assembly and political parties. However, the trust of family was very high, followed by trust of school friends and teachers. The trust of government employees was low and this was especially the case for politicians.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.109-142
• /
• 2005

This paper examines the changes in family values in Korea by examining values of children, socialization values, and social support of elderly parents with young and olders mothers. A total of 314 mothers of infants (young mothers) and 395 mothers of adolescents (older mothers) completed a questionnaire compiled by Schwarz, Chakkarath, Trommsdorff, Schwenk and Nauck(2001) comprising of values of children, cultural values, socialization values, interpersonal relationship, social support, stress, and life-satisfaction. In terms of values of children, the older mothers are more likely to emphasize social values, such as continuing the family line. Young mothers are more likely to emphasize psychological values, such as the pleasure of seeing a child grow. As for reasons for net wanting to have children, young mothers are more likely to point out personal constraints than older mothers, such as restriction of freedom. Second, older mothers are more likely than young mothers to express willingness to provide support for their children and even when their children become adults. Older mothers had a more lenient expectation of their children in terms developmental timetable and to expect support from their children when compared with young mothers. Young mothers are more likely to socialize their children with greater warmth and at the same time have higher child-rearing stress when compared to older mothers. Third, when compared with older mothers, young mothers are more likely to receive practical and emotional support from their parents. On the other hand, older mothers are more likely to provide greater practical and emotional support to their parents than the young mothers. Overall, compared to young mothers, older mothers are more likely to hold traditional and conservative values of children and socialization values. These contrasting values reflect the changes in family structure and social change that have been progressing rapidly in recent years.