• 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.11 no.2
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• pp.143-181
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• 2005

This article examines factors that influence health and quality of life. In addition to the symptomatology and physiological functioning, the influence of the psychological functioning and interpersonal relationship on the overall health and quality of life are also investigated. Using a case-study approach, a total of 70 patients suffering from allergy or asthma were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire developed by the present authors. It assessed the following six areas: Cause and onset of illness, psychological functioning, health management, trust, social support received and overall health and quality of life. Based on the transactional model (Bandura, 1997; Kim & Park, 2005), the results of the case studies have been integrated and divided into three aspects: (1) Cause and onset of illness that includes physiological and environment factors; (2) mediating influences that includes psychological functioning, health management, interpersonal relationship and social support received; and (3) outcome factor that includes symptomatology, health and quality of life. The psychological functioning includes self-efficacy (self-regulated efficacy, efficacy for enlisting social support, efficacy for managing the environment, and efficacy for overcoming difficulties), positive outlook, life goals, experience of stress, and proxy control. Interpersonal relationship includes trust of family members and the physician. Health management includes receiving proper health assessment, following the advice and prescription given by the physicians, control of the environment and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The results indicate that physiological, psychological, relational and environment factors interact with each other and affect individual's overall health and quality of life. Self-efficacy, social support received from family members, trust of physicians, and the health care system are key factors promoting healthy lifestyle and quality of life. The results indicate the need for further interdisciplinary, indigenous and cultural psychological research.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.139-178
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• 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
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.103-137
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• 2004

This study examines the basis of trust in relationships by adolescents and their parents using the indigenous psychological approach. Using the indigenous methodology, adolescents were asked the reasons why they trusted their mother, father, friends, and teachers. Parents were asked why they trusted their children, spouse and their children's teachers. A total of 1,737 participants completed an open-ended survey: 579 adolescents (274 middle school and 305 high school students) and their parents (579 fathers) and (579 mothers). The results indicate that adolescents trust their parents because of their sacrifice, followed by consanguinity (i.e., blood relationship), respect, their trust in me, dependability, and their advice and counseling. The reasons why adolescents trust their teachers is because of the academic guidance they provide, unconditional trust of teachers, their concern and care, respect for teachers, advice and counseling they provide, they are like parents, and because of their sacrifice for the students. The reasons for trusting their friends are as follows: Dependability, closeness, unconditional trust of friends, their understanding of me, and their emotional support. The reasons why parents trust their children are: Children's sincerity, honesty, consanguinity, parents' expectation and communication with the children, children's obedience, and since they are diligent in their schoolwork. The reasons for trusting one's spouse are reported to be sincerity, their sacrifice for the family, honesty, unconditional trust of a spouse, and because of mutual support. The reasons why parents trust their children's teachers are reported as follows: Unconditional trust of teachers, their sacrifice for the students, and their sincerity. There were no significant differences across the type of school and academic grades in terms of trust of parents. However, middle school students are more likely to trust their teachers, and high school students are more likely trust their friends. The male students rather than female students and those students with higher academic grades are more likely to trust their parents, friends, and teachers. For parents, there were no significant differences across age, sex, and educational status concerning the trust of their children, spouse, and children's teachers. There was a positive correlations between parents' trust of their spouse and children and their children's trust of their parents. There was also a positive correlations of mothers' trust of children's teachers and the children's trust of their teachers.

• 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.1
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• pp.115-137
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• 2003

This study aims to investigate the related variables of self-esteem and depression among the Korean elderly people living alone and examine the relationships or interactions between those variables. Participants were 676 elderly men and women who were at least 65 years of age(M=76.17, sd=7.60) and lived in Seoul, Korea. Three hundred seventy eight participants of this study were living alone. Participants completed questionnaires and psychological tests including: Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale, The Index of Activities of Daily Living(IADL), Social Support Index(SSI), and Life Satisfaction in the Elderly Scale(LSES). Main statistical designs were 2(gender)×2(residential types), Pearson-product moment and regression analysis. Results indicated that the elderly living alone recognized their health poorer, have lower economic status, and received less social supports than the elderly lived with others. The elderly men who had children were more likely to lived alone. And the elderly men living alone received less social supports than the elderly women living alone, and significant gender difference was found in the reason of living alone. The elderly men living alone had lower self-esteem than the elderly women living alone, while the elderly living alone showed more depressive symptoms than the elderly living with others. There were 2-way interactions both in self-esteem and depression by gender and residential types. There was highly significant gender difference in self-esteem only for the elderly living alone, and it was found that there was no significant difference in depression between elderly men living alone and women living with others. Regression analysis revealed that physical function and self-reported health are predictors of self-esteem, and physical function, self-reported health, and social support are predictors of depression for the Korean elderly living alone. These findings reiterate the role of physical function, social support, health in self-esteem and depession among the elderly and suggest the gender role for quality of life among the Korean elderly living alone.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.12 no.5_spc
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• pp.169-203
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to compare happiness between Korean elderly residing in South Korea and those residing in New York City area in United States (Korean American elderly), and to investigate important factors determining their happiness. We collected data from 1,988 elderly residing in Chuncheon and Seoul in South Korea and 173 elderly residing in New York City area. All samples were over 65 years old in 2005. In general, Korean American elderly seemed happier than Korean elderly. Our specific data analysis showed that Korean American elderly had higher scores in non-agitation, satisfaction for aging, and satisfaction for life than Korean elderly. And they showed secure attachment more and insecure attachment less than Korean elderly. Social support network, satisfaction in psychological need, health, daily routines, and social background predicted happiness significantly for both Korean American elderly and Korean elderly. For American Korean elderly, satisfaction in psychological need predicted satisfaction for aging, satisfaction for life, and secure attachment significantly when social background, health, and daily routine were controlled. For Korean elderly, satisfaction in psychological need predicted all sub-factors of happiness significantly, and social support network also predicted happiness significantly when social background, health, and daily routine were controlled. Additional data analysis compared social support network, satisfaction in psychological need, health, daily routine, and social background between Korean American elderly and Korean elderly. Korean American elderly seemed to have more solid social support network and to have higher satisfaction in psychological needs than Korean elderly. Korean American elderly perceived themselves as healthier, and their life style related health was much healthier than Korean elderly. In social background, Korean American elderly had higher education and economic level than Korean elderly. Roles of social support network and satisfaction in psychological need for happy aging were discussed in terms of previous theoretical explanation of successful aging.

• 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.11 no.3
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• pp.91-119
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• 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
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.109-142
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• 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.