Emotional Intelligence in Children's Textbooks of the Chosun Dynasty

조선시대 아동용 교재들 속에 나타난 정서지능

Seven textbooks for children used in homes and schools (sudangs) of the Chosun dynasty were examined to investigate how they taught emotional intelligence in traditional Korean society. The contents of the books were analyzed according to the 4 abilities of emotional intelligence described by Salovey and Mayer (1966): (1) perception, appraisal, and expression of emotion, (2) emotion's facilitation of thinking, (3) understanding and analyzing emotions, and (4) regulation of emotion to promote emotional and intellectual growth. The analysis showed that most of the books valued emotional intelligence and taught children how they perceive, appraise, and express emotions. The emotional ability to facilitate thinking was also emphasized, whereas the ability to understand and analyze emotions was seldom mentioned. It was also found that the regulation of emotion was emphasized; that is, children were educated to control and depress their emotions rather than to express them naturally.