• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.89-109
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• 2006

The 'Joongsancheung(JSC)', a unique term for the middle class in Korea, is defined as a stratum sharing common lifestyles and a certain level of life chances. It involves non-economic factors such as life chance, educational attainment, occupational groups as well as economic factor. Such objective measures as the occupational status of the main breadwinner, family income, and the educational level of respondent, and subjective measures of class identification are used for the operational definition of the JSC. Data from a national survey of 1,515 respondents is analyzed to investigate the change of the JSC in size and the major determinants of class identification. The results show that while there is no strong evidence of any significant change of the JSC by the objective measures during the recent decade, there seems to be a slight decrease in the subjective class identification. In addition, binary logistical regression analysis reveals that self-identification of JSC is heavily influenced by house ownership, along with subjective evaluation of one's own income and property ownership. This study demonstrates that the apparent class polarization in Korean society reflects not so much objective conditions but subjective perception of respondent of his or her circumstance. It is suggested that problems of housing and relative derivation people have as regards income and property should be resolved to alleviate such class polarization in Korean society.

• Journal of Korean Society of Rural Planning
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.79-90
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• 2015

In empirical studies on rural development projects, differentiation tends to be considered a strategy aimed at increasing the number of visitors. Rural development projects include the improvement of living environment, and the discussion about project goals and evaluation of project results are often focused on the aspect of rural tourism. Thus, subjective benefits of such projects for residents are omitted. This study examines the meaning of differentiation from the perspective of residents and explores the validity of the number of visitors and the possibility of reflecting residents' subjective score as evaluation indicators for a project. To achieve such an objective, this study uses survey data collected from 153 people in 38 comprehensive development projects in areas of Eup and Myeon, Korea. The results of this study show that differentiation is viewed as a by-product of positive improvement from a rural development project, from the perspective of residents. The effects of rural development are classified into two dimensions: socioeconomic effects and living environmental effects. Landscape improvement is included in the dimension of living environmental effects and an increase in the number of visitors is included in the dimension of socioeconomic effects. As such, they are confirmed to be the factors that determine the level of differentiation. For example, the increase in the number of visitors is confirmed to be a valid indicator of project success, in which two-dimensional characters are reflected. The level of differentiation evaluated by residents is a result of the workings of the above two factors. Unlike in previous studies, the possibility of evaluation based on the perception of residents is confirmed in the evaluation of results. When the level of differentiation is interpreted as the direct result of a project, the number of visitors has an impact on socioeconomic effects, and the project content of landscape improvement has an impact on living environmental effects. The goal of policy and residents is the same in terms of the effort residents may make in maximizing results of a project by themselves; thus, the government's goal is achieved even when a project is carried out under the autonomy of residents. Ultimately, the government should focus on providing conditions in which active citizen participation can not only occur but help to establish a policy direction, which subsequently strengthens the substantial rights of residents.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.51-61
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to compare voice characteristics and voice-related quality of life (K-VRQOL) of the elderly female choir members using perceptual-auditory voice quality evaluation (GRBAS) and K-VRQOL scales. The participants were 77 women over 60 years old who were actively engaged in the choir in either Seoul or Busan. There are two kinds of choirs that indicate different engagement levels: regular choir and church choir. The perceptual-auditory vocal quality evaluation was listened to by / a / vowels and were graded by experts using the GRBAS scale. As a result, when comparing the differences between groups, the elderly female participants of the regular choir showed higher satisfaction in speech using the subjective speech recognition level than the elderly female members who performed in the church choir. In addition, the analysis showed that the satisfaction level was high in the physical function area of the K-VRQOL scale. This study confirmed that choral activities could yield positive results not only in terms of improving voice function in old age, but also to improve the subjective perception level of voice use, thus suggesting the necessity of systematic music programs to improve voices that are aging.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.56-66
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• 2001

The spectral subtraction algorithm using a criterion based on the human perception has been recently developed. The speech processed with Virag's algorithm sounds more pleasant to a human listener than those obtained by the classical methods. However, Virag's algorithm requires a robust voice activity detector (VAD). In the ESS (extended spectral subtraction) algorithm without VAD, the residual noise becomes more noticeable as the SNR decrease. In this paper we propose a new speech enhancement method, the combination of Wiener filter and spectral subtraction based on noise masking characteristics in the human auditory system. There is no need of VAD because the noise can be successively updated even during speech activity using Wiener filter. The adjustment of the subtraction parameter based on the masking threshold makes the residual noise inaudible. The proposed method has been compared with conventional spectral subtraction algorithms. Objective and subjective evaluation of the proposed system is performed with several noise types having different time-frequency distributions. The application of objective measures, the study of the speech spectrograms, as well as subjective listening tests, confirm that the enhanced speech with proposed algorithm is more pleasant to a human listener.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.13-22
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• 1998

The sense of touch has both objective and subjective characteristics. During hand evaluation of the fabrics. psycho physiological processes such as emotion and stimulation. On other site, the mode of touch (passive vs. active) is also capable to modulate somatosensory responses. I.e., suppress somatocensory perception during active electrocortical responses to passive and active touch of the textiles with different subjective emotional preference. The study was carried out on 36 female college students. Physiological signals were acquired by Grass and BIOPAC 100 systems with AcqKnowledge variables, namely heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), pulse transit time (PTT), respiration rate (RSP) and skin conductance parameters (SCL, amplitude, risetime and number of SCRs) were analyzed for baseline and stimulation conditions. Analysis was manifested in a form of moderate HR acceleration. RSP increase, RSA decrease (lowered vagal tone), decreased PTT and increased electrodermal activity (increased SCL, several SCRs) that reflects general sympathetic activation. Parietal EEG effects (on contra-lateral side to stimulated hand)were featured by short-term alpha-blocking, slightly reduced theta, significantly increased delta and enhanced fast beta activity with few variations across stimuli. The main finding of the study was that most and least preferred textures exhibited significant differences in autonomic (HR, RSP, PTT, SCR, and at less extent in RSA and SCL) and electrocortical responses (delta, slow and fast alpha, fast beta relative power). These differences were recorded both in passive and active stimulation modes, thus demonstrating reproducibility of distinction between most and least emotionally preferred tactile stimuli, suggesting influence of psychological factors, such as emotional property of stimulus, on physiological outcome.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.59-65
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• 2007

In this study, six grip spans (45mm-65mm) were tested to evaluate the effects of handle grip span and user's hand size on maximum grip strength, individual finger force, and subjective ratings of comfort using a digital dynamometer with individual force sensors. Forty-six males were assigned into three hand size groups according to their hand lengths. Results showed that overall 55mm and 50mm grip spans were the most comfortable sizes and associated with the highest grip strength in the maximum grip force exertions, whereas 65mm grip span was rated as the least comfortable size as well as the lowest grip strength. In the interaction effect of grip span and hand size, small and middle hand sized participants rated the best preference and the least preference grip spans differently with large hand sized participants. With respect to the analysis of individual finger force, the middle finger force was the strongest and the highest contribution to the total finger force, followed by ring, index and little fingers. In addition, it was noted that each finger had a different optimal grip span for exerting maximum force resulting in a bowed contoured shaped handle for two-handle hand tools. Thus, the grip spans for two-handle hand tools might be designed according to the users' hand and finger anthropometrics to maximize performance and subjective perception of comfort.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 2009

In speech communications in noisy environments, speech intelligibility is seriously degraded due to the masking effect of ambient noise. In this paper, a new method to improve speech intelligibility in noisy environments is proposed. Based on the perception theory that the temporal envelope plays a major role in determining intelligibility, the proposed method uses a novel operation that enhances the fluctuation of band-wise temporal envelope and also contains pitch enhancement for improving speech naturalness. In addition, a new subjective evaluation scheme employing binaural listening is proposed in order to measure more reliable performance. The subjective performance measured with the proposed scheme shows that the proposed method improves both intelligibility and naturalness in various environments, whereas a function parameter can control the performance trade-off between intelligibility and naturalness.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.133-140
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to provide a basic data of clothing development that can improve the satisfaction of the body shape by examining the subjective evaluation and characteristics of each type. The types of body shape of middle-aged women were analyzed as four types: elasticity loss ladder type, flat rectangular type, thin reverse ladder type, and upper body obesity inverted triangle type. The elasticity loss ladder type was developed with the lower body, and it was analyzed that the legs size such as the thighs and claves were large, the abdomen was protruded, and especially the underbelly appeared. The flat rectangular type was the largest of the four types, and was the skinny type. The width was larger than the thickness of the body, and the difference between the hip circumference and the waist circumference was small, and it was classified into a flat rectangular shape. The thin reverse ladder type was the smallest of the four types, the upper body was developed, the back had weight, and the body was leaning forward. And the lower body and leg were poor and the abdomen was protruding. Finally, the upper body obesity inverted triangular was the highest type of BMI index among 4 types. All of subjects belong to the mild and middle obesity, and the second was the smallest but the most weighted type among 4 types. They had the fat body and big bust, the upper body was developed, and the lower body and legs were analyzed to be poor body shape. Based on the body shape of middle-aged women, it is necessary to develop designs and patterns that can cover the shortcomings of body shape.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.101-108
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the subjective evaluation and the characteristics of each type of maternal self-awareness. It was to provide the basic data necessary for the development of clothing that can improve the satisfaction of the body shape of pregnant women. This study was conducted with Q methodology, and was performed for pregnant women over 6 months. Analysis was done with QUANL program. The recognition types of body shape of pregnant women was analyzed as three types: thin limbs and central hemispherical abdominal body shape, under abdomen protruding body shape, and thick upper arm and central abdomen protruding body shape. The thin limbs and central hemispherical abdominal body shape were considered to be normal, with the lowest BMI index before pregnancy. And the limbs were thin and the other parts were not overweight, but recognized that only the belly came out. The under abdomen protruding body shape was overweight with the highest BMI index before pregnancy. In addition to the circumference of the chest and hips, the body was gaining weight and was perceived to have a belly drooping down. The thick upper arm and central abdomen protruding body shape recognized that the middle part of the abdomen protruded like the first type, but it was different from the first type because the upper arm was thickened. In the future study, it would be a meaningful study to compare and analyze the difference with the recognition body of this study through analyzing the actual body shape of pregnant women.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.121-129
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to provide a basic data of clothing development which can improve the satisfaction of the body shape by examining the subjective evaluation and type characteristics of the old-old women themselves. Q methodology was used for the study of subjectivity. The types of the body shape of the old-old women were analyzed as five types: bent body with protruding abdomen, backward bent body with slender legs, inverted triangle, swollen cylinder, triangle. The bent body with protruding abdomen had a bent back and waist. They were recognized that the bust and shoulders were sagging and abdomen was protruding. The backward bent body with slender legs was the smallest of the five types with a BMI index and shoulders and bust were sagging. And knee and waist were bent and legs were thin. The inverted triangular shape showed the highest BMI index among the 5 types, indicating that it is obese. They thought that the upper body was developed and the lower body and legs were slender. The swollen cylinder shape was analyzed to be the smallest and the most fat body. The triangle shape had developed lower body and bent back and waist. It is considered that a design consideration is needed to cover the disadvantages of the body shape in consideration of not only wearing feeling but also aesthetic part when making clothes. By making ergonomic garments considering the characteristics of body shape, it can be expected to change the body shape due to the wearing of clothing that is not suitable for body shape and the effect on physical health in a positive direction.