Pulling together many empirical studies, the authors show that Koreans trust people on the basis of “we” relationships, emotional bonds, and moral character (sincerity, honesty) rather than ability.
Indigenous Psychological Analysis of Trust in Korean Culture
한국인의 신뢰의식에 나타난 토착심리 탐구
QUESTION
By re-analyzing empirical findings on how Koreans trust, what indigenous Korean psychology lies beneath their sense of trust?
FINDINGS
Taken together, the reasons Koreans give for trusting parents, teachers, coworkers, and their country show that the “we” relationship (uri, 우리) itself is central to forming trust.
한국 사람들의 신뢰 형성에서 '우리 관계'가 중요하다는 것을 결론내 릴 수 있다…we can conclude that the “we relationship” is important in how Koreans form trust.p11이상에서 살펴본 네 개의 그림들에서 확인된 결과들을 종합하여 볼 때Putting together the results confirmed in the four figures above…p11Even when their child was on probation for serious delinquency, parents felt they trust the child unconditionally because the child is their own flesh and blood.
피로 맺어진 내 자식이기 때문에 무조건 믿는다는 생각을 부 모들이 하고 있다…parents think that they trust the child unconditionally because it is their own child, bound by blood.p9자녀가 비록 심각한 일탈행동으로 인해 법적으로 보호 관찰을 받는 처지에 있다고 해되…even if the child is legally on probation because of serious delinquent behavior…p9Across studies of workplace, friendship, and parent–child relationships, emotional bonds turned out to be very important for building trust.
신뢰를 형성하기 위해서 는 정서적인 유대관계가 매우 중요하다는 사실…the fact that emotional bonds are very important for forming trust.p14직장에서의 인간관계, 청소년의 친구관계 및 부모자녀관계와 같은 다양한 인간 관계에 대한 연구들에서 공통적으로 밝혀지고 있다…has been commonly found in studies of various relationships, such as workplace relationships, adolescents’ friendships, and parent–child relationships.p14Koreans value moral qualities — sincerity, integrity — over ability as the basis for trust.
한국 사람들은 능력보다는 도덕성을 신뢰의 기준으로 중요하게 인식하고 있음이 확 인되었다It was confirmed that Koreans regard morality, rather than ability, as an important criterion of trust.p30는 가장 대표적인 이유가, 바로 '성실함'이었다. 그리고 국회의원이 갖추어야 할 자질에 대해 '청렴결백'이 가장 많이 지적…the most representative reason was “sincerity,” and “integrity” was most often named as the quality a lawmaker should have.p30IN DAILY LIFE
Under the slogan “employees are family,” the chairman of a pharmaceutical company threw — and attended — a birthday party for employees every month for 25 years.
회장이 25년간 매달 사원들의 생일잔치를 차 려주고 참석…the chairman has prepared and attended employees’ birthday parties every month for 25 years.p6'직원은 가족' 25 년간 매달 생일잔치 생겨. 보령제약 회장, 사원 생일찬치“Employees are family”: monthly birthday parties for 25 years — a Boryung Pharmaceutical chairman’s employee birthday parties…p33After formal meetings, people move on to after-parties — the so-called “second round” and “third round” (icha, samcha, 2차·3차) — where they share feelings and build trust.
공식적인 모임 이 끝난 뒤에 뒤풀이라든가 소위 2차 3차로 이 어지는 후속모임 등이 활성화 되어 있다…after formal gatherings end, after-parties and follow-up gatherings — the so-called second and third rounds — are very active.p28결국은 이러한 모임에서 한국 사람들은 정서적인 교류 를 원하고 이를 통해 신뢰관계를 쌓으며…in such gatherings Koreans seek emotional exchange and through it build relationships of trust…p28In depth
This paper, more closely — every sentence carries an original quote and page number.
Background
Studies of Korean stress found that relationship problems were a very important stressor for teenagers and adults alike, and adults felt the greatest stress in relationships with family such as spouses and children — stress arises in the close relationships people trust and rely on.
인 간관계 문제는 청소년이든 성인이든 한국 사람 들에게 매우 중요한 스트레스 원인이 되고 있다…relationship problems are a very important source of stress for Koreans, whether adolescents or adults.p2성인들의 경우에 지속적으로 가장 큰 스트레스를 받는 것 은 배우자나 자녀와 같은 가족들과의 관계였으 며…for adults, the greatest ongoing stress came from relationships with family members such as spouses and children…p2믿고 의지하는 가까운 관계에서 스트레스가 유발되고 있음을 보여준다…shows that stress arises in close relationships that people trust and rely on.p2Like the boy in the fable who tried to learn another town’s walk and forgot his own, psychologists who immerse themselves only in Western theories and ignore Korea’s indigenous features cannot properly understand Koreans.
서양의 이론 들에 몰입하여 우리 문화의 토착적 특징들에 대해 무관심하거나 무시하 다 보면If we become absorbed in Western theories and are indifferent to or ignore the indigenous characteristics of our culture…p3자기 본래의 걸음걸이까 지 잊어버린' 소년의 어리석음을 상기해 볼 필요 가 있다We need to recall the foolishness of the boy who even forgot his own original way of walking.p3한국 사람의 심리와 행동에 대한 이해 로부터 우리는 벌어질 수밖에 없다…we cannot help drifting away from an understanding of Korean psychology and behavior.p3Method
A review that gathers and comprehensively re-analyzes empirical studies on Koreans’ sense of trust.
한국인의 신뢰의식과 관련된 경험 과학적인 연구들에서 밝혀진 결과들을 종합적으로 재분석함으로써…by comprehensively re-analyzing the findings of empirical studies related to Koreans’ sense of trust…p1일반 고등학생의 부모와 보호관찰 청소년의 부 모들이 자녀를 신뢰하는 이유를 분석한 결과…results analyzing why parents of ordinary high school students and parents of probationed adolescents trust their children…p9어머니 집단 이 자녀의 선생님을 신뢰하는 이유를 자유 반응 한 결과…the free responses of mothers on why they trust their children’s teachers…p10청소년과 성인 모두 우리나라 이기 때문에 신뢰한다는 반응이 가장 높음을…for both adolescents and adults, the response of trusting because it is our country was highest…p11직장인이 상사나 동료 를 신뢰하는 이유에서…in the reasons office workers trust their bosses or coworkers…p11한국의 가정, 학교 직장, 사회라는 현실에 서 드러나고 있는 현상들에 주목한 것이다…focus on phenomena appearing in the realities of Korean families, schools, workplaces, and society.p3한국인의 신뢰의식 저변에 자리 잡고 있는 토착심리를 세 가지 특성으로 정리하여 논의를 시도하였다…organized the indigenous psychology underlying Koreans’ sense of trust into three characteristics and discussed them.p1발전적 한국 문화의 창조를 위해 보완해 나가야 할 세 가지 내용을 제안하였다…proposed three things to be supplemented for creating a developing Korean culture.p1Detailed findings
Whether their child was a first-time or repeat offender, about 6 in 10 parents of probationed adolescents named “blood relationship” as the reason they trust their child.
보호관찰 청소년 부모 10명 중 6명 정 도가 자녀를 신뢰하는 이유로 혈연관계를 지적About 6 out of 10 parents of probationed adolescents named blood relationship as the reason for trusting their child.p9자녀가 초범이든 재범이 든 간에 보호관찰 청소년 부모Whether the child was a first-time or repeat offender, parents of probationed adolescents…p9Mothers’ top reason for trusting their child’s teacher was not any specific evidence, but unconditional trust in the teacher as the educator of their child.
'교육자에 대한 무 조건 신뢰'가 가장 높은 반응을을 보이고 있음을…“unconditional trust in the educator” showed the highest response rate.p10가장 대표적인 이유가, 그 선생님을 신뢰할만한 특별한 이유보다는, 나 의 자녀를 가르치는 선생님이기 때문에 무조건 신뢰한다는 것임을 알 수 있다…the most representative reason was not any special reason to trust that teacher, but trusting unconditionally because the teacher teaches my child.p10Even at profit-seeking workplaces, the most common reason for trusting a boss was “because they are my boss” — and the same held for coworkers.
상사이기 때문에 무조건 신뢰한다는 반응이 가장 많음을 알 수 있다…the most common response was trusting the boss unconditionally because he or she is the boss.p11왜냐하면 이익집단으로서 직장은, 가정이나 학교 와는 질적으로 다른 목표를 갖고…because the workplace, as an interest group, has goals qualitatively different from the family or school…p11직장 동료를 신뢰하는 이유 도 직장 상사에 대해서와 마찬가지로The reasons for trusting coworkers, just as for bosses…p11As for trusting Korean society, both adolescents and adults most often answered “because it is our country.”
청소년과 성인 모두 우리나라 이기 때문에 신뢰한다는 반응이 가장 높음을…for both adolescents and adults, the response of trusting because it is “our country” was highest.p11Junior employees trusted their bosses mainly because of “emotional consideration,” at work and in private life, rather than job competence.
정서적 배려가 가장 높은 반응 율을 나타내었다…emotional consideration showed the highest response rate.p14그림 7은 직장에서 상사의 역할을 전혀 경 험하지 못하는 평사원 집단만을 대상Figure 7 covers only rank-and-file employees who have no experience in a supervisory role…p14업무 처리 과정에서 뿐만 아니라 개인적인 사생활 면 에서의 정서적인 배려도 포함하였다…included emotional consideration not only in handling work but also in personal private life.p14상사의 업무처 리능력이 상대적으로 낮은 비율이지만 포함…the boss’s job competence was included, though at a relatively low rate…p15Adolescents trusted friends because the friend is “someone to lean on” and feels close; not a single answer related to ability, such as being smart or good at school.
청소년 친구들 간의 신뢰 이유 중에서는 능력 차원과 관련된 응답이 하나 도 포함되지 않고 있었다…among the reasons adolescent friends trust each other, not a single response related to the dimension of ability was included.p15'의지가 됨'이 가장 높은 반응율을 보이고, 그 다 음으로 '친밀함'이 확인되었다“Someone to lean on” showed the highest response rate, followed by “closeness.”p15친 구가 똑똑하고 공부를 잘해서, 한마디로 능력을 갖고 있을 때 신뢰하는 것이 아니라…they trust a friend not because the friend is smart and good at studying — in short, has ability…p15Adolescents most often named “my parents’ sacrifice” as why they trust both their father and mother.
'부모님의 희생' 을 가장 많이 지적하였다…they most often pointed to “parents’ sacrifice.”p15아버지에 대해서나 어 머니에 대해서 모두 청소년들은For both fathers and mothers, adolescents…p15Compared with Danes, Koreans trusted in-groups such as family and schoolmates more, but trusted out-groups — bosses, coworkers, strangers, foreigners — much less.
직장 상사나 동료, 낯선 사람이란 외국인과 같은 외집단에 대한 신뢰는 훨씬 낮음을 알 수 있다…trust in out-groups such as bosses, coworkers, strangers, and foreigners is much lower.p25가족이나 동창과 같 이 특별한 연고로 맺어진 내집단에 대한 신뢰는 더 높은 경향이 있지만…trust in in-groups bound by special ties, such as family and schoolmates, tends to be higher, but…p25덴마크인 은 한국인보다, 직장 상사나 직장 동료에 대한 신뢰 수준이 현저하게 높았다Danes had markedly higher trust in bosses and coworkers than Koreans did.p25Authors’ interpretation
Trusting people you know more is only human, but in Korea people often give no chance to build trust to anyone they do not know, which limits possibilities that could be diverse and successful.
아는 사람이 아 니면 신뢰를 형성할 수 있는 기회조차 제공하지 않는 경우가 많다는 점이다…the point is that there are many cases where, unless it is someone they know, they do not even provide an opportunity to form trust.p26아는 사람 을 더 믿고 모르는 사람을 믿기 어려운 것은 인 지상정이라고 할 수 있다Trusting people you know more and finding it hard to trust strangers can be called only human.p26다양하고 성공적일 수 있 는 가능성을 제한한다는 점이다…it limits possibilities that could be diverse and successful.p26Leaning too heavily on emotion means acting on personal connections, which weakens transparency and rationality, blurs public and private, and can feed corruption.
자칫 공과 사 가 구분이 되지 않으며, 부정부패의 원인으로 작 용할 수도 있다…public and private may not be distinguished, and it can act as a cause of corruption.p28객관적인 일에서 연고관 계 등에 대해 정서지향적으로 움직이다 보면, 투 명성이나 합리성이 결여되기 쉽고If people act emotionally on personal ties in objective matters, transparency and rationality are easily lost…p28The authors propose that, as criteria of trust, self-regulation should be balanced with control over one’s environment and objective ability.
신뢰의 기준으로서 자기조절과 더불어 환경 통제 및 객관적인 능력의 균형Balancing self-regulation with environmental control and objective ability as criteria of trust.p29Limits the authors note
Compared with the large goal of uncovering Korean indigenous psychology, the authors say this paper covers only a tiny part, and they are cautious about how close it comes to the truth.
글이 다루고 있는 부분이란 극히 일부분에 불과 하다…what this paper covers is no more than a very small part.p32한국인의 토착심리를 한국 문화의 맥락에서 규 명하고자 하는 거대한 목표를 달성하기에는…to achieve the huge goal of clarifying Korean indigenous psychology in the context of Korean culture…p32이 글에서 다루어진 일부분이 얼마 나 진실에 정확하게 접근하고 있는가에 대해서 는 여간 조심스러운 일이 아니다…we are very cautious about how accurately even this small part approaches the truth.p32Key terms
School collapse (hakgyo bunggoe, 학교 붕괴) A state in which teachers and students can no longer interact in classes and student guidance, and teachers have lost their leadership.
학교의 수업과 생활지도에서 교사와 학생의 상호작용이 불가능하고 지도력이 상실된 상태…a state in which interaction between teachers and students in school classes and student guidance is impossible and leadership has been lost.p5Harmony as a goal Unlike keeping relationships harmonious in order to make more profit (“harmony as a means”), using the profits of production for the sake of harmonious relationships.
생산을 해서 이익을 산출한 결과를 조화로운 인간관계를 위해 활용한다면If the results of producing and generating profit are used for harmonious human relationships…p7그 이익을 극대화하기 위해 조화로운 관계를 기초로 생산을 해 나가는 것을 '수단으로서의 조화라고 할 수 있다Producing on the basis of harmonious relationships in order to maximize profit can be called “harmony as a means.”p6Relational self-concept In relational cultures like Korea, a sense of self that stays partly overlapped with one’s parents even into adulthood.
청소년기에서 성인기 로 되었을 때에도 여전히 부모와 부분적으로 겹 쳐진 자기개념을 갖는다는 것이다…even when moving from adolescence into adulthood, they still have a self-concept partly overlapping with their parents.p27반면에 한국과 같은 관계 문화에서 관계적 자기개념의 발달과정을 살펴보면By contrast, looking at how the relational self-concept develops in a relational culture like Korea…p27