Why are Korean college students less happy than American ones? The study traces part of the gap to valuing money, looks and others' approval more — a value orientation that increases comparing oneself with others and reduces mutual support, lowering happiness.
Why Korean university students are less happy than U.S. counterparts? The role of relative extrinsic value orientation, social support and social comparison
왜 한국 대학생이 미국 대학생보다 불행한가? 상대적 외적 가치, 사회적 지원, 사회비교의 영향
QUESTION
Does a relative emphasis on extrinsic over intrinsic values (relative extrinsic value) explain the happiness gap between Korean and U.S. university students and individual differences in happiness one year later, and what roles do social comparison and social support play?
FINDINGS
Korean first-year students placed more importance on extrinsic values such as money, looks and others' approval, and less on intrinsic values, than their U.S. peers.
한국 대학 신입생들은 미국 대학 신입생들보다 외재적 가치를 중요하게 여기는 경향이 더 높고, 내재적 가치를 중요하게 여기는 경향이 더 낮았다Korean university freshmen tended to value extrinsic values more, and intrinsic values less, than U.S. university freshmen.p1돈, 외모, 타인의인정, 체면과같은외재적가치를더중요하게여기고…regarded extrinsic values such as money, appearance, others' approval, and face as more important…p14This difference in values explained both the national happiness gap at the same time point and individual differences in happiness one year later.
상대적 외적 가치는 동일 시점에 측정된 행복의 국가차이(연구1)와 1년 후 행복의 개인차(연구2)를 설명했다Relative extrinsic value explained the national difference in happiness measured at the same time (Study 1) and individual differences in happiness one year later (Study 2).p1Putting extrinsic values first lowered happiness directly, and also indirectly — by making people compare themselves with others and by blocking the exchange of support.
자신을 남과 비교하게 만들고 사회적 지원의 교환을 막음으로써 행복에 간접적인 부정적 영향을 주는 것으로 나타났다…was found to have an indirect negative effect on happiness by making people compare themselves with others and by blocking the exchange of social support.p10이러한높은상대적외적가치는직접적으로행복을저해할뿐아니라This high relative extrinsic value not only directly undermines happiness but also…p10The authors suggest that for Korea to become a happier society, it needs a social climate that values intrinsic over extrinsic values.
외재적 가치보다 내재적 가치의 중요성을 강조하는 사회적 풍토가 조성되어야 할 것으로 보인다A social climate that emphasizes the importance of intrinsic values over extrinsic values should be fostered.p15IN DAILY LIFE
In a collectivist culture like Korea, people tend to judge themselves by outside yardsticks — school pedigree (hakbeol, 학벌), money, appearance — rather than by inner experience.
외적, 사회적 준거(예컨대, 학벌, 돈, 외모 등)에 의해서 자신을 평가하는 경향이 강하며…tend strongly to evaluate themselves by external, social criteria (e.g., school pedigree, money, appearance)…p2한국과같은집단주의문화권에서는소속욕구가강하고사회적승인이강조되기때문에내적, 주관적경험보다In collectivist cultures like Korea, because the need to belong is strong and social approval is emphasized, rather than inner, subjective experience…p2The paper notes that first-year students have just entered university after fierce competition over exam scores.
대학 신입생 시기는 치열한 점수경쟁을 통해 대학에 입학한 상태이다The freshman period is a time when students have just entered university through fierce competition over scores.p15In depth
This paper, more closely — every sentence carries an original quote and page number.
Background
Korea is known as a country whose happiness is low for its level of economic development, and many studies have found East Asians less happy than North Americans.
한국은 객관적 여건이나 경제발전 정도에 비해서 행복수준이 낮은 나라로 알려져 있다Korea is known as a country with a low level of happiness relative to its objective conditions and economic development.p2한국을포함한동아시아문화권의사람들이북미문화권의사람들보다행복하지않다는사실은여러연구들에서반복적으로보고되었다That people in East Asian cultures including Korea are less happy than those in North American cultures has been repeatedly reported in many studies.p2It had been argued that cultures emphasizing material and external standards produce national happiness gaps, but this had never been tested directly with data.
그러나 경험적 자료를 통한 직접적인 검증은 아직까지 이루어지지 못했다However, a direct test with empirical data has not yet been carried out.p2물질이나외적준거를강조하는문화적특징이국가간의행복차이를가져온다는설명은The explanation that cultural features emphasizing material things or external criteria produce happiness differences between countries…p2Method
Two survey studies. The first compared Korean and U.S. college freshmen; the second resurveyed the Korean students one year later and measured their happiness again. A research model was tested by estimating its fit with maximum likelihood.
상대적 외적 가치(relative extrinsic value) 점수는 Sheldon 등(2010)에 따라 외재적 가치 문항 평균에서 내재적 가치 문항 평균을 뺀 차이점수로 산출했다Following Sheldon et al. (2010), the relative extrinsic value score was computed as the difference score: the mean of the extrinsic value items minus the mean of the intrinsic value items.p6두국가의대학교신입생699명(한국299명, 미국400명)에게설문을실시했으며A survey was given to 699 freshmen in the two countries (299 Korean, 400 American)…p5총685명의자료를분석에사용했다. 분석에포함된대상자는한국대학생294명…data from a total of 685 were analyzed; those included were 294 Korean college students…p5미국대학생391명391 U.S. college studentsp5연구1에참여한한국대학생들을대상으로1년후에2차설문을실시했다A second survey was conducted one year later with the Korean students who took part in Study 1.p11결측치가없는248명248 with no missing datap11두개의위계적연구모델(그림1)에대한통계모델을설정하고최대우도법을사용하여부합도를추정했다Statistical models were set for the two hierarchical research models (Figure 1), and fit was estimated using maximum likelihood.p9내-외재적가치에해당한다고주장한8가지항목에대해응답자가중요하다고생각하는정도를측정했다…measured how important respondents considered the 8 items claimed to represent intrinsic and extrinsic values.p6모든문항은7점리커트척도로측정했다All items were measured on a 7-point Likert scale.p6가족과의관계(relationship with family)relationship with familyp7친구와의관계(relationship with friends)relationship with friendsp7사회적지원은가족이나친구와도움을주고받는정도로측정했다Social support was measured as the degree of giving and receiving help with family or friends.p6사회비교는사회비교의빈도와영향을측정하는2문항으로구성했다Social comparison consisted of 2 items measuring its frequency and influence.p6하위요소인삶의만족, 긍정적정서, 부정적정서(Diener, 1984)로측정했다…measured by its sub-components of life satisfaction, positive emotion, and negative emotion (Diener, 1984).p6Detailed findings
In both Korea and the U.S., the eight values split the same way into two groups: four extrinsic and four intrinsic.
두 문화에서 동일하게 외재적 가치를 측정하는 4문항은 요인1에 부하되었고, 내재적 가치의 4문항은 요인2에 부하되었다In both cultures, the four items measuring extrinsic values loaded on Factor 1, and the four intrinsic value items loaded on Factor 2.p7내-외재적가치에해당한다고주장한8가지항목에대해…for the 8 items claimed to represent intrinsic and extrinsic values…p6Even after controlling for perceived family finances, Korean freshmen scored higher than U.S. freshmen on relative extrinsic value and social comparison, and lower on social support and happiness.
한국 대학 신입생은 미국 대학 신입생보다 상대적 외적 가치와 사회비교가 더 높고, 사회적 지원과 주관적 안녕감이 더 낮았다Korean university freshmen showed higher relative extrinsic value and social comparison, and lower social support and subjective well-being, than U.S. university freshmen.p8두국가간에주관적경제인식에차이가있었으나이를통제한모든분석에서결과가동일했고Although the two countries differed in subjective economic perception, results were the same in all analyses controlling for it…p9The more someone relatively valued extrinsic goals, the more they compared themselves with others and the less support they gave and received.
상대적 외적 가치가 높은 사람들은 사회비교를 많이 하고 사회적 지원의 수준이 낮았다People high in relative extrinsic value compared themselves with others more and had lower levels of social support.p8In the final model, low relative extrinsic value, less social comparison and more social support all contributed to greater happiness.
낮은 상대적 외적 가치(β=-.153, p<.001)와 사회비교(β=-.112, p<.01), 그리고 높은 사회적 지원(β=.359, p<.001)은 높은 행복에 기여했다Low relative extrinsic value (β=-.153, p<.001), low social comparison (β=-.112, p<.01), and high social support (β=.359, p<.001) contributed to higher happiness.p10One year later, freshman-year values did not directly affect happiness, but did so indirectly — through social comparison, social support and happiness at the time.
상대적 외적 가치는 높은 사회비교와 낮은 사회적 지원, 낮은 행복감을 통해 1년 후 주관적 안녕감에 간접적인 영향을 주는 것으로 나타났다Relative extrinsic value was found to affect subjective well-being one year later indirectly, through high social comparison, low social support, and low happiness.p13Students who put extrinsic values first as freshmen were more sensitive to comparison, exchanged less support with close others, and were still less happy in their second year.
2학년이 되었을 때도 여전히 행복수준이 낮았다…their happiness level was still low when they became sophomores.p14인과정서, 정보, 물질적지원을적게주고받음으로써동일시기에낮은행복을경험할뿐아니라…by giving and receiving little emotional, informational, and material support with others, they not only experienced low happiness at the same time but also…p14Korean freshmen valued money, looks, others' approval and face more, and neglected relationships, morality and health more.
돈, 외모, 타인의 인정, 체면과 같은 외재적 가치를 더 중요하게 여기고, 대인관계, 도덕성, 건강과 같은 내재적 가치에 더 소홀했다…valued extrinsic values such as money, appearance, others' approval, and face more, and were more neglectful of intrinsic values such as interpersonal relationships, morality, and health.p14Authors’ interpretation
Citing prior work showing that reaching extrinsic goals (popularity, money) left happiness unchanged while reaching intrinsic goals such as close relationships or volunteering made everyone happier, the authors see the value–happiness link as giving direction on what to value and pursue.
내재적 목표(친밀한 관계, 자원봉사)의 달성은 내-외재적 가치 추구자 모두의 행복을 향상시켰다Attaining intrinsic goals (close relationships, volunteering) improved the happiness of both intrinsic and extrinsic value pursuers.p15실재외재적목표를달성했을때행복수준은변하지않았다…when extrinsic goals were actually achieved, happiness levels did not change.p15개인과국가가행복을위해서무엇을중요하게여기고추구해야하는가에대한방향성을제시해준다…offers direction on what individuals and nations should value and pursue for happiness.p14Low social support signals an unmet need for relatedness, and sensitivity to comparison an unmet need for autonomy.
상대적 외적 가치가 높은 한국 대학생들이 높은 사회비교와 낮은 사회적 지원을 보이는 것은 이들의 기본 심리적 욕구가 적절히 충족되지 못하고 있음을 시사한다That Korean university students high in relative extrinsic value show high social comparison and low social support suggests that their basic psychological needs are not being adequately met.p15친밀한타인과도움을주고받는정도가낮다는것은관계성의욕구가적절히충족되지못하고있음을의미한다A low degree of giving and receiving help with close others means the need for relatedness is not adequately met.p15이는자율성욕구의결핍으로이해될수있다…this can be understood as a deficit in the need for autonomy.p15The authors add that values may be neither the only nor the most important factor behind national or individual differences in happiness.
가치는 행복의 국가차이나 개인차이를 설명하는 유일한 요소는 아니며 가장 중요한 요소도 아닐지 모른다Values are not the only factor explaining national or individual differences in happiness, and may not be the most important one.p16Limits the authors note
The study could not show whether Korean students' high relative extrinsic value comes from a cultural self-concept, since the two countries differ in many social ways besides self-concept.
두 국가 간에는 자아개념 이외에 다양한 사회적 차이가 혼재되어 있다Between the two countries, various social differences besides self-concept are mixed together.p15본연구에서는한국대학생들이보이는높은상대적외적가치가문화적자아개념에기인한것인지명확히규명하지못했다This study did not clearly establish whether the high relative extrinsic value of Korean students stems from cultural self-concept.p15Only university students were studied, so the results are hard to generalize to Korean society as a whole and may be limited to first-year students.
본 연구는 대학생만을 대상으로 하여 한국사회 전반으로 일반화하기 어렵다Because this study targeted only university students, it is difficult to generalize to Korean society as a whole.p15한국대학신입생들이미국대학신입생보다상대적외적가치와사회비교가높았던것은특정연령집단에제한된결과일수있다…that Korean freshmen showed higher relative extrinsic value and social comparison than U.S. freshmen may be a result limited to a specific age group.p16Key terms
Intrinsic values Values such as self-acceptance, affiliation, community feeling, and physical health that are rewarding in themselves and relate to meeting people's innate basic needs.
내재적 가치(intrinsic values)는 인간의 선천적인 기본욕구 충족과 관련된 가치를 말한다Intrinsic values refer to values related to satisfying humans' innate basic needs.p2자기수용, 친화성, 공동체감정, 신체적건강등은그자체가본질적으로보상을제공한Self-acceptance, affiliation, community feeling, physical health, etc. are inherently rewarding in themselves…p2Extrinsic values Values that emphasize gaining external things — financial success, attractive looks, social recognition, fame — that do not directly meet basic needs and depend on others' judgment rather than satisfying in themselves.
외재적 가치(extrinsic values)는 기본 심리욕구의 직접적인 충족과 거리가 먼 외적인 요소들Extrinsic values are… external elements far removed from the direct satisfaction of basic psychological needs.p3경제적성공, 매력적외모, 사회적인정, 명성등)의획득을중요시하는가치이다…values emphasizing the acquisition of [things such as] economic success, attractive appearance, social recognition, and fame.p3그자체로만족을주기보다는개인이보상이나칭찬을받을가치가있는지에대한타인의판단을필요로한다Rather than satisfying in themselves, they require others' judgment of whether the individual deserves reward or praise.p3Relative extrinsic value The tendency to emphasize extrinsic values relatively more than intrinsic values.
내재적 가치에 비해서 외재적 가치를 상대적으로 더 강조하는 경향성, 즉 상대적 외적 가치…the tendency to emphasize extrinsic values relatively more than intrinsic values, that is, relative extrinsic value…p3