The Effect of Psychological Characteristics and Peer Acceptance on Korean Female Adolescents' Clothing Behavior

청소년기 여학생의 심리적 특성과 또래수용이 의복행동에 미치는 영향

The purposes of this study were 1) to identify the effects of psychological characteristics and peer acceptance on female adolescents'clothing behaviors(clothing attitudes and preference for up-to-date style), and 2) to determine the differences in psychological characteristics and clothing behaviors among subject groups classified by sociometric status. The questionnaires dealing with public/private self-consciousness, adolescent egocentrism, self-efficacy and clothing behaviors were adapted from precious studies. Peer acceptance was measured using Coie and Dodge(1983) method. The data were collected from 485 middle and high school girls living in Seoul, Korea. From the results of multiple regression of psychological characteristics and peer acceptance on clothing behaviors, clothing sexual attractiveness, clothing exhibition, and clothing importance were found to be influenced by public self-consciousness, adolescent egocentrism and peer acceptance. Fashion leadership and psychological dependence were influenced by egocentrism and self-efficacy. Preference for up-to-date style was influenced by egocentrism, public self-consciousness and self-efficacy. One-way ANOVA was used for analyzing the differences in research variables among subject groups classified by sociometric status. From the reset of middle school girls it was revealed that ignored group showed the highest score in clothing importance, whereas both popular group and rejected group showed the lowest score in social self-efficacy. In high school girls, controversial group showed the highest scores in adolescent egocentrism, fashion leadership, and preference for up-to-date style.