• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.207-227
• /
• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate conceptual representations of the self in Korean culture by analyzing normative conception of the self present in Sohak. The method of this study was the historical method and the material for analysis is 'Reverencing for the Self of Sohak, which was the textbook for childhood education and contained normative tasks that the society of the Chosen Dynasty period held for what people should do in their lives. According to the analysis, the Chosen Dynasty had interdependent conception of the self, which had strong emphasis on connected relationships, especially between self and parents, and regarded respect, rightness, and politeness as important attributes of the self, and expected reciprocal exchange of mutual support in social roles. Also, there were many instrumental and terminal goals in normative expectations of the self, which were toward harmonious interdependent relationships. Finally, the attributes of the self that were thought of as positive characteristics served collective interests rather than individualistic ones. In addition, the society of the Chosen dynasty regarded socially disengaged emotion such as pride, anger, and pleasure as negative ones.