A summary of the author's research on core Korean social-psychological concepts — uriseong (우리성, we-ness), jeong (정), simjeong (심정), chemyeon (체면, face), nunchi (눈치), and pinggye (핑계, excuses) — including types of face and excuses.
The Social Psychology of Koreans
한국인의 사회심리학
QUESTION
How can the Korean social-psychological concepts analyzed so far — we-ness, jeong, face, nunchi, excuses, and others — be summarized and organized?
FINDINGS
When face is lost, “loss of authority” was named most often as what is lost, followed by “reduced influence” and, third, “lowered character.”
체 면이 떨어질 때 잃게 되는 것으로, '권위 추락'이 가장 높게 나타났으며As what is lost when face falls, “loss of authority” appeared highest…p3이와 관련된 손실 요인으로 '영향력 저하가 높은 반응 빈도를 보이고 있다as a related loss, 'reduced influence' showed a high response frequencyp3세 번 째로는 '인격의 하락'이 언급되고 있다third, 'decline of character' is mentionedp3The author interprets this as Koreans holding a “status–character match” view: people of high status are assumed to have noble character as well.
지위가 높은 사람은 인격도 고매하다는 대인지각 인 지도식(쉐마)을 한국인들은 가지고 있다.Koreans hold an interpersonal-perception cognitive schema that a person of high status also has noble character.p3한국인의 체면 속에는 「지위-인격 합치관」이 기본적으로 전제되 고 있음을 시사한다suggests that a 'status–character congruence view' is fundamentally presupposed in Korean chemyeonp3What people most often try to read through nunchi is the other person’s “emotional state,” followed by their intentions, and then their attitude toward and evaluation of oneself.
상대의 기분상태나 화났는지의 여부 등과 같은 상대의 '감정상태' 가 가장 보편적인 응답으로 나타나며The other person’s “emotional state,” such as their mood or whether they are angry, appears as the most common response…p8다음으로는 상대의 동기나 목적과 같 '상대의 의도성', 그리고 '상대의 나에 대한 태도 및 평가'의 순으로 나타 난다followed by 'the other's intention,' such as motives or goals, and then 'the other's attitude toward and evaluation of me'p8People good at nunchi showed both positive traits (active, considerate of others) and negative traits (opportunistic, timid).
긍정적 특징으 로는 '활동적'이며 '타인배려적'인 성향이 높다는 것이며, 부정적 특정으로는 '기회주의적'이며 '소심한' 성향이 있는 것으로 나타났다.As positive traits, they were high in being “active” and “considerate of others”; as negative traits, they tended to be “opportunistic” and “timid.”p8치를 잘 보는 사람의 성격과 행동특성에 대한 조사결과(최상진, 진승범, 1995)에서도 긍정적 특징과 부정적 특징이 혼합되어 나온다survey results on the personality and behavioral traits of people who are good at nunchi also show a mix of positive and negative traitsp8The author argues that, set against the West, the most distinctively Korean psychological trait is simjeong (심정, the inner heart and feelings), and that one cannot claim to understand Koreans without reading it.
한국인의 심리특성은 심정이다. 따라서 한국인이 심정을 읽지 못하면 한국인 을 이해했다고 말할 수 없으며The psychological trait of Koreans is simjeong. Therefore, if one cannot read simjeong, one cannot say one has understood Koreans…p10서구인 • 서구문화를 배경으로 대비시길 때 가장 한국적인 한국인의 심리특성은 심정이다when contrasted against Westerners and Western culture, the most Korean psychological trait of Koreans is simjeongp10IN DAILY LIFE
When a friend’s mother asks “Have you eaten?”, you answer “Yes, I have” even if you haven’t — a ritual act of face.
친구 어머니가 '밥 먹었느냐'라고 물어 보면, 안 먹었는데도 불구하고 '먹었어요'라고 대답해야 하는 경우가 이에 해당된다.This applies to cases where, when a friend’s mother asks “Have you eaten?”, one must answer “I have” even though one has not.p5“Title inflation”: former ministers and university presidents keep being addressed as “Minister” and “President” long after leaving office.
현직을 떠난 전직 장관이나, 전직 총장에게 도 계속해서 '장관님', '총장님'이라고 호칭하는 현상…the phenomenon of continuing to address a former minister or former university president, who has left office, as “Minister” or “President.”p6한국 사람들이 호칭 인플레가 심한 것(동아일보, 1991)은the severe inflation of titles among Koreansp6Sending nunchi: when a friend keeps talking and you have an appointment, you glance at your watch often to hint that you need to go.
시간약속이 있는데 갑자기 친구가 와서 말을 계속할 때, 시계를 자주 들여다봄으로써, 약속이 있음을 간접적으로 암시한다.When we have an appointment and a friend suddenly comes and keeps talking, we indirectly hint that we have an appointment by frequently looking at our watch.p7In depth
This paper, more closely — every sentence carries an original quote and page number.
Background
Words like we-ness, face, nunchi, and excuses are everyday Korean words, and the author holds that they carry experiences accumulated over Koreans’ historical and cultural life.
이들 개념들은 모두 한국인들이 일상생활을 살아가는 과정에서 빈번하게 사용해 오고 있는 일상언어로서These concepts are all everyday words that Koreans have frequently used in the course of daily life…p1그 말속에는 한국인의 역사군화적 삶 속에서 축적-농축 된 경험 그 자체와within those words lies the very experience accumulated and condensed in Koreans' historical and cultural lifep1The author first checked empirically whether these concepts work as cultural-psychological concepts; once they proved suitable, he moved on to deeper analysis and theory testing.
연구결과는 이들 개념들이 모두 문화심리적 개념으로 적합함을 입증해 주었으며The results showed that all these concepts are suitable as cultural-psychological concepts…p1먼저 이들 개념들이 이러한 요구 조건적 명제를 충족시키고 있는지를 경험적으로 확인하는 일을 필수적 선행과제로 하였다made it an essential first task to empirically confirm whether these concepts meet these required conditionsp1일단 이러한 확인이 이루어진 연후에 다음 과정 의 심층적 분석이나 이론적 검증을 실시하는 절차를 따랐다once this was confirmed, followed the procedure of carrying out in-depth analysis or theoretical testing as the next stepp1Method
Not a new data study: a conference presentation that briefly summarizes research the author and his collaborators had carried out on Korean psychology.
본 연구자와 공동 연구자들이 지금까지 수행해왔던 한국인의 심리적 특성에 관한 개념들을 간략하게 요약해 보면 다음과 같다.Briefly summarizing the concepts on Korean psychological characteristics that this researcher and co-researchers have studied so far gives the following.p12004 동계 학술대회 한국인의 사회심리학2004 Winter Conference: The Social Psychology of Koreansp1지금까지 한국인의 심리적 특성으로 분석된 개념으로는 심정, 정, 한, 우리 성, 체면, 눈치, 핑계, 의례성, 의리 등이 있는데Concepts analyzed so far as psychological traits of Koreans include simjeong, jeong, han, we-ness, chemyeon, nunchi, pinggye, ritualism, and uirip1Detailed findings
For Koreans, becoming nam (남, an outsider) goes beyond merely thinking differently — it means being given “cold rice” treatment by the other.
한국인에게 있어 남이 된다는 것은 상대로부터 '찬밥' 취급을 받는다는 것을 뜻한다For Koreans, becoming an outsider means being treated as “cold rice” by the other.p2남은 단순히 생각이 다르다는 차원을 넘이 인간관계적 떡락에서의 동기와 뜻이 다르다는 것까지를 함축한다'nam' (an outsider) goes beyond merely thinking differently, implying different motives and intentions in the context of relationshipsp2The purest prototype of jeong begins in the family, and the Korean family takes as its ideal that members feel and act as “one heart, one body.”
정의 순수 원형은 한국인의 가족에서 출발하며The pure prototype of jeong starts from the Korean family…p2한국의 가족은 가족 구성원이 '일심동체'로서 느끼고 생각하며 행동하는 것을 규범적 이상으로 삼는다the Korean family takes as its normative ideal that members feel, think, and act as 'one mind, one body'p2In the “logic of simjeong,” the relationship and unspoken inner feelings take center stage, rather than rational judgment about visible facts.
심정논리에서는 상대와의 관계가 중요하게 고려되며In the logic of simjeong, the relationship with the other is weighed importantly…p3밖으로 드러나지 않은 상대 방이나 자신의 속마음(unmanifested inner mmd)the unmanifested inner mind of the other or oneselfp3밖으로 드러난 사건적 사실에 대한 이성 적 판단보다는 마음속에서 전개되는rather than rational judgment of outwardly manifest facts, what unfolds in the mindp3In empirical surveys, face appeared as a pattern of behavior required of people high in status, character, or age — professors, bosses, seniors — or of influential figures such as politicians and celebrities.
체면은 교수, 상사, 선배와 같이 지위, 인격, 연령이 높은 사람들이거나Face is required of people high in status, character, or age, such as professors, bosses, and seniors, or…p3정치가나, 유명인 과 같이 사회적 영향력이 있는 지도자 위치에 있는 사람들에게 요구되는 사 회적 행동 양식으로 나타나고 있다appears as a social behavior pattern required of people in leadership positions with social influence, such as politicians and celebritiesp3“Loss of authority” was named most as what is lost when face falls, followed by “reduced influence” and “lowered character.”
체면이 떨어질 때 잃게 되는 것으로, '권위 추락'이 가장 높게 나타났으며As what is lost when face falls, “loss of authority” appeared highest…p3이와 관련된 손실 요인으로 '영향력 저하가 높은 반응 빈도를 보이고 있다as a related loss, 'reduced influence' showed a high response frequencyp3세 번 째로는 '인격의 하락'이 언급되고 있다third, 'decline of character' is mentionedp3The author reads Koreans’ liking for big cars, big houses, and expensive clothes less as compensation for inferiority than as protecting social self-respect — not wanting to be looked down on.
자신의 열등의식에 대한 보상보다는 남으로부터 무시 받지 않으려는 사회적 자존심 보호 심리라고 보는 것이…it is more fitting to see it as a psychology of protecting social self-respect, not wanting to be ignored by others, rather than compensation for one’s sense of inferiority.p4이렇듯 한국(2L1이 큰 차, 큰 집, 비싼 옷을 선호하는데는Koreans' preference for big cars, big houses, and expensive clothesp4When reading nunchi, people usually hide the very fact that they are doing so.
일반적으로는 눈치를 본다는 사실을 상대에게 감추거나 은폐한다Generally, one hides or conceals from the other the fact that one is reading nunchi.p8Besides excuses meant to explain, Korean excuses include ones meant to raise the other’s self-esteem and ones meant to draw sympathy.
상대의 자존심을 높여 주려는 '상대자아 고양성 핑계가…“other-ego-enhancing excuses,” which aim to raise the other’s self-esteem…p10한국인이 핑계를 대는 경우는 위에서 말한 것처럼 해명이 목적인 해명성 핑계 이외에besides explanatory pinggye whose purpose is to explainp10상대로 하여금 동정심을 이끌어 내고, 궁극적으로 책임에 대한 추궁 을 감면시키려는 '동정소구성 핑계'가 있다there is 'sympathy-appeal pinggye,' which draws sympathy from the other and ultimately seeks to reduce being held responsiblep10Authors’ interpretation
One reason Koreans make many excuses, the author argues, is a tendency to ask who is to blame rather than analyze the cause objectively when something goes wrong.
그 일이 일어난 원인에 대한 객관적인 분석보다는 그러한 결과를 가져오게 된 책임을 묻는 성향이 많다는…a strong tendency to ask about responsibility for bringing about the result rather than objectively analyzing the cause of what happened.p9한국인이 핑계를 많이 댈 수 있다는 소지를 심리학적으로 분석해 보면, 첫 째analyzing psychologically why Koreans may make many excuses, firstp9If face is self-respect reflected outward, self-respect is face reflected inward.
체면이 밖으로 비추이진 외적 자존심 이라한다면, 자존심은 안으로 비추이진 내적 체면이라고 볼 수 있다If face is outer self-respect reflected outward, self-respect can be seen as inner face reflected inward.p6Jeong and han (한) are the deepest core elements of Korean psychological life, and social psychologies like we-ness, nunchi, face, and excuses interlock with them into one system.
정과 한은 한국인의 심리적 삶에 있어서 핵심적 본질이라 할 수 있는 심층심리 요소이다Jeong and han are deep-psychological elements that can be called the core essence of Koreans’ psychological life.p10'우리성', '눈치', '제면', '핑계', '의례성' 등이 있다there are 'we-ness,' 'nunchi,' 'chemyeon,' 'pinggye,' 'ritualism,' and so onp10이러한 사회심리는 심정 및 심층심리 구조인 정과 한과의 연계 맥락 속에서 서로가 서로에게 영향을 미치며 상호작용 하는 통합적 한국인 심리 체계를 구성하고 있다these social psychologies, linked with simjeong and the deep psychological structure of jeong and han, influence and interact with one another to form an integrated Korean psychological systemp10Limits the authors note
The author himself notes that whether these traits are unique to Koreans or partly shared with other cultures remains to be tested by comparative cultural research.
앞으로 경험적 문화심리 비교연구를 통해 검증되이야 할 문제이다…is a question that must be tested in the future through empirical comparative cultural-psychological research.p10한국인에게만 존재하며 타 문화권에서는 발견되지 않는 한국인의 배타적 고유특성인가 아 니면 타 문화권에서도 발견될 수 있는 부분 공유적 심리특성인가의 문제는the question of whether these are traits exclusive to Koreans, not found in other cultures, or partly shared traits that can also be found in other culturesp10Key terms
Pinggye (핑계, excuse) In a situation of fault where blame may fall on oneself, words and actions that invent a pretext different from the facts to avoid or reduce responsibility.
사실과 다른 구실을 만드는 언행을 말한다(최상진, 임영식, 유승엽, 1991)…refers to words and actions that make up a pretext different from the facts (Choi, Lim, & Yoo, 1991).p9핑계는 일단의 책임이 자신에게 돌려질 가능성이 있거나 또는 실제로 자 신에게 책임이 추궁되는 과실 상황에서 그 책임을 회피하거나 감소하기 위pinggye is, in a fault situation where responsibility may fall on oneself or one is actually held responsible, [an act] to avoid or reduce that responsibilityp8Sending nunchi (눈치보내기) Communication that indirectly conveys what is hard to say outright through nonverbal cues, such as glancing at one's watch.
직접 말하기 이려운 것을 간접적인 방법인 눈치단서를 통해서 상대방에게 자신의 본심이나 자신이 원하는 것을 전달하는…conveying to the other one’s true intention or what one wants through nunchi cues, an indirect method, for what is hard to say directly…p7바쁘다는 암 시를 시계를 보는 것과 같은 비언어적 단서를 통해 간접적으로 전달하므로 써by indirectly conveying the hint of being busy through a nonverbal cue such as looking at one's watchp7Ritual face (치레성 체면) Ceremonial face whose form itself carries meaning regardless of sincerity (e.g., just showing your face at a wedding).
진심과는 다르거나, 진심이 개입되지 않은 의례적 행동으로…as ritual behavior that differs from, or does not involve, one’s true heart…p5그러한 행동은 진 심과는 관계없이 '치레'라는 형식 그 자체로 의미 있는 행동이 된다such behavior becomes meaningful in the very form of 'chire' (formality), regardless of sincerityp5결혼식 에 얼굴만 내밀고 바로 식장을 떠나더라도even if one just shows one's face at a wedding and leaves right awayp5