• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.105-135
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to examine the experience of stress, coping and social support among students and their parents after Korea recovered from the recent economic crisis. A total of 634 students(primary school=135, junior high school=118, senior high school=168, and university=213) and 842 parents (fathers=421, mothers= 421), for a total of 1,476 participants, completed an open-ended questionnaire developed by the present researchers. For students, the most painful experience was related to problems in academic life, followed by problems in relationship. For father, the most painful experience was financial problems and for mothers, it was conflicts in the family. In stress situations, self-regulation was the most frequently adopted coping style by both students and adults. The second most frequently reported coping style was avoidance. In terms of social support, students reported receiving most support from friends, and the importance of friends became greater for the older students. Parents reported receiving most social support from their spouse. As for the type of social support, around half of students and parents reported receiving emotional support. Emotional support was viewed as being very important in reducing the stress experience related to academic life, problems in relationships, family conflict, and financial difficulties. The results of the present study will be compared to similar studies conducted before and during the economic crisis and the implications of these studies, as well as the importance of the indigenous Korean psychology, will be discussed.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.14 no.1_spc
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• pp.63-109
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• 2008

This article examines psychological factors that contribute to educational achievement of Korean adolescents. By reviewing empirical research, three core areas are outlined. First, positive and negative roles that Korean society play on academic achievement are analyzed. Compared to other countries, Korean society places a high premium, pressure an investment on educational achievement. This has contributed to the rapid economic growth and development, but at the same time it has created numerous social problems. Second, psychological and relational dynamics of investing in and achieving success in education are delineated. Through indigenous psychological analysis, the role parents play in motivating and regulating their children to succeed academically is reviewed. In addition, the role of teachers and friends and the coordinated efforts of Korean society are outlined. Third, future directions and transformations in education that are needed in Korean society are discussed. Although Korean adolescents are high achievers in high school, this is not the case at the university level. Since Korean students are interested in entering a prestigious university, they have developed skills in doing well in standardized tests. Educational reforms need to take into consideration individuals' personal interests, skills and creativity to ensure that the knowledge that they acquired can be used to further their career and improve their subjective well-being. Educational transformation does not imply simply adopting Western models, but developing indigenous models that can maximize human and cultural potential and stimulate curiosity, diversity and creativity that are necessary in the global era.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.1-36
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• 2006

This study examines the conception of the self using indigenous, cultural and psychological analysis. The self is viewed from four aspects: (1) conception of the self as an entity (the self in general, the self as an unique entity and the self when alone), (2) conception of self in the context of family (the self when with mother, father, children and spouse), (3) the self with the context of close and working relationships (the self when with friends, teachers, work superior and work subordinate), and (4) the self in context of the larger society (the self when with strangers and foreigners). A total of 1,465 respondents (623 elementary, middle, high and university students and their parents = 842) completed an open-ended questionnaire developed by the present authors. The results reveal two patterns of results. First, the conception of self in Korea is influence by one's role. Second, the conception of self in influenced by relationship and context and there is an emphasis on the flexibility and adjustment of the self to relationship and context. Implications of the conception of the self in context of relationships, roles, and contexts are discussed, along with the importance of indigenous, cultural and psychological analysis.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.103-129
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• 2004

This article examines the Korean adolescents and adults' social representation and trust of Korean society and people using indigenous psychological analysis. Respondents were asked to write in an open-ended questionnaire their perception of the following five aspects: Korean politics, economy, society, culture and people. They were then asked to report why they trust or distrust Korean society. A total of 1,064 respondents (218 middle school students, 200 university students, 218 fathers of the middle school students, 218 mothers of the middle school students, and 210 teachers) completed a questionnaire developed by the present researchers. The data were collected during April to June, 2003. The results indicate that 94.5% of Koreans view the existing political system and politicians as being corrupt, inept, factional, and lacking in integrity. A vast majority (84.9%) recognize the existence of systemic problems in the Korean economy. A total of 78.2% see problems in Korean society being dominated by selfishness, factionalism, conservatism, and social uncertainty. For Korean culture, a majority of respondents report being proud of its cultural tradition, accomplishment, and creativity. At the same time, 45.7% report loss of cultural identity and pride due to external influences. More than half of the respondents report negative aspects of Korean people (i.e., selfish, lack of morality, rushed, and overly focused on their social image), while nearly half of the respondents report positive aspects of Korean people as being compassionate, cooperative, good-natured and hard-working. As for reason for trusting Korean society, around a third report "because it is our country," followed by its future potential, and the good-nature and willingness of Korean people to work hard. The reasons for distrusting Korean society is the dishonesty politicians, corruption, institutional ineptness, and economic uncertainty. These results indicate a low level of collective efficacy in influencing and affecting change in Korean society.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.9 no.spc
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• pp.89-105
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• 2003

The purpose of this paper is to explore Korean adolescents' understanding of safety using the indigenous psychologies approach. This paper examines Korean adolescents' experience of the type of accidents they were involved in, what they perceived to be the cause of the accident, the type of social support received after the accident, and the prevention needed to avoid future accidents. The indigenous understanding of accidents is examined according to the grade level of the students, gender, and safety efficacy beliefs. Second, to examine the changes in the safety efficacy beliefs, the differences across primary, junior high, and senior high school students are examined. Third, the relationship between safety efficacy belief and attitudes toward preventing future accidents is explored. Third, the parental influence on adolescents' safety efficacy belief is examined by analyzing the influence of their socio-economic status and their safety efficacy belief on their children's safety efficacy belief and behavior. The review of the results can be summarized into the following five main points: (1) decrease in safety efficacy belief with increasing age, (2) positive relationship between safety efficacy belief and behavior, (3) the utility of the indigenous psychologies approach, (4) the parental influence on their children's safety efficacy beliefs and behavior, and (5) the need to further explore, promote, and educate the importance of human life and quality of life by preventing accidents and promoting safety consciousness and behavior in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.73-108
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• 2005

This study examines the failure experience and aspirations for future among Korean adolescents and their parents using indigenous psychological analysis. The first part of this paper reviews the achievement literature that has used indigenous psychological analysis. The second part of this paper provides an empirical analysis of 482 students (primary=117, middle school=88, high school=72, and university=205) and 507 parents of the adolescents (fathers= 236, mothers=271). The open-ended questionnaire developed by Park and Kim (1999) was adopted for the study that asked the respondents to list the most painful experience, the person that was the most responsible for the failure, and the most important reason for the failure. The section on aspirations for the future asked the respondents to list the achievement that they would most likely to succeed, the person that they need assistance from, the type of support they need from the person, and the most important factor that would lead to them to success. The results indicate that for students the most painful failure was related to academic failure and for adults, it was related to family life. The person that was most responsible for the failure was reported by both samples be themselves. As for the most important factor that influenced their failure was a lack of self-regulation, such as a lack of effort and persistence. For the aspiration for future, students listed academic and occupational success and for adults listed harmonious family life as the most important. For social support, the adolescents listed their parents and adults listed their spouse as the person that they need assistance from. As for type of support, they listed emotional support to be the most important. As for the most important factor that would contribute to their success, majority of students and adults listed self-regulation. Based on these results and previous indigenous studies indicate, the following four conclusions could be drawn: (1) the emphasis of self-regulation as the most important reason for their past achievement, the future success and the lack of self-regulation for their failure; (2) the importance of receiving emotional support from family members; (3) the importance of educational aspiration and achievement for providing the basis of economic development; and 4) the importance goal of achieving harmonious family life.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.85-127
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• 2006

This study examines the formation and change of relational trust among Korean adolescents using indigenous psychological perspective. Among adolescents, we examine the basis of trust of their parents, friends and teacher and also their trust in people and institutions. A total of 968 adolescents (227 elementary, 284 middle school, 213 high school, and 244 university students) completed a questionnaire that contains the Relational Trust Scale developed by Kim and Park (2004a), Generalized Trust Scale developed by Yamagishi (1998) and a scale measuring trust of people and institutions (Kim, Helgesen & Ahn, 2002). The results are as follows. First, adolescents trust their parents due to their sacrifice, followed by their counsel and advice, dependability, consanguinity and respects. They trust their teachers due to their counsel and advice, followed by respect, sacrifice, and mutual trust. They trust their friends due to their advice, followed by empathy, mutual trust, dependability, friendship and sacrifice. Second, trust of their parents are highest among the elementary school students and lowest for the middle school students and lower for older age groups. The trust in teachers are highest among the elementary school students and lowest among the middle school and university students. In contrast, trust in friends increase from elementary school students to older age groups. Third, among trust in people and institutions, they are highest for parents and family and lowest for politicians and political parties. Except for trust in friends, trust of significant others and institutions (family, teachers, neighbors, company executives and politicians) is highest among the youngest age group and it decreases with older age group. Fourth, Yamagishi's generalized trust was highest among the older age groups (high school and university students). The patterns of results for relational trust and generalized trust is different and it points to the importance of understanding trust from the indigenous psychological perspective.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.12 no.5_spc
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• pp.1-28
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• 2006

This special issue examines factors influencing quality of life in Korean society. The special issue is based on the symposium, which was organized by the Korean Association of Psychological and Social Issues on August and December 2005. A review of the literature and also contributors to the special issue draw out six important factors that influence quality of life in Korean society: (1) financial stability, (2) harmonious interpersonal relationships, (3) emotional support, (4) psychological factors, such as self-regulation and self-efficacy, (5) academic achievement, and (6) health and leisure life. Koreans believe that financial resources are necessary in maintaining quality of life, and they must be supplemented with harmonious interpersonal relations in family, school and the workplace. As people become order, the importance of self-efficacy increases in order to maintain a sense of control in their lives. In addition, academic achievement, health, and leisure life contribute to quality of life. Finally, indigenous psychological analysis provides important insights into understanding factors influencing quality of life in Korean society.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.161-195
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to examine factors influencing quality of life for individuals in the family, school or workplace, leisure settings, and Korean society using the indigenous psychological analysis. A total of 3,406 participants, consisting of 1,331 elementary, middle, high school students and 2,075 parents and teacher, completed an open-ended questionnaire developed by Kim and Park (2004b). The respondents reported the factors that influence quality of life in Korean society as follows: Economic condition, collective effort, leisure and cultural life, harmonious interpersonal relationships, effective government policy, and educational attainment. The factors that reduce quality of life in Korean society are as follows: Economic uncertainty, political instability, lack of citizenry, ingroup favoritism, corruption, lack of facilities for leisure and social life, and overemphasis on educational achievement. Second, the factors that influence quality of life in the family are as follows: Harmonious family relations and financial security. For students relationship with friends and academic achievement are reported as important factors influencing quality of life at school. For adults, harmonious interpersonal relationship, financial factors and occupational achievement are reported as important factors influencing quality of life at the workplace. For leisure and social leisure life, financial security, leisure time and interpersonal relationships are reported as important factors influencing quality of life. Third, as for generational differences, students reported political instability and adults reported economic uncertainty as the most important factor reducing quality of life in Korean society. For family life, students reported conflicts among family members and adults reported financial constraints as the most important factor reducing quality of life. For leisure and social life, students reported lack of leisure time and adults reported financial constraints as the most important factor reducing quality of life. Fourth, for students the following characteristics were associated with higher quality of life: Higher socio-economic status of the family, younger, and higher academic achievement. For adults, the following characteristics were associated with higher quality of life: Higher socio-economic status of the family and greater achievement their social life. Implications of these results on the quality of life in Korea, focusing on human relationship, financial factors, self-regulation and educational achievement are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.107-145
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• 2004

This study examines factors that influence delinquency among adolescents under probation using indigenous psychological analysis, focusing specifically on parent-child relationship. A total 268 adolescents under probation and their parents and 251 high school students and their parents participated in the two studies. In the first study, qualitative results indicate that both groups of adolescents were most likely to trust their parents than any other person and reason for their trust is reported to be based on blood relationship. Similarly, majority of parents of both groups reported trusting their children because of the blood relationship. Parents hope that their children will be sincere a person and will be able to maintain harmonious social relationship. Parents of adolescents under probation were more likely to report disobedience as being most problematic, whereas parents of high school students were more likely report providing social and financial support for their children's education as being the most difficult. In the second study, structured questionnaires were administered to the four groups and the following set of results were obtained. First, in terms of family background, the socio-economic status of adolescents under probation was lower, they are less likely to live with both parents or natural parents, and more likely to have ran away from home than high school students. Second, adolescents under probation are less likely to trust their parents and more likely to view their parents as being hostile. Third, parents of adolescents under probation were less likely to trust their children, more likely to view their relationship as being conflictual and hostile, and feel that they had to sacrifice for their children when compared with parents of high school students. Implications of these results for parent-child relationship and delinquency are discussed.