Chapter 02 · Key paper

Using open-ended surveys, a video study, and a scenario experiment, the study showed that Koreans value uiri (의리, loyalty between friends) over social justice.

An Analysis of Uiri (의리) as a Basic Morality in Koreans' Interpersonal Relationships: Is a True Friend for Koreans a Friend with Uiri?

한국인의 대인관계에서의 기본도덕으로서의 의리분석: 한국인에게 진정한 친구는 의리있는 친구인가

김기범, 김미회, 최상진 (2002). 한국인의 대인관계에서의 기본도덕으로서의 의리분석: 한국인에게 진정한 친구는 의리있는 친구인가. 한국심리학회지: 사회문제, 8(1), 79-101.

QUESTION

What do Koreans see as uiri behavior and uiri-mindedness in close we-ness and jeong relationships, and when uiri and social justice clash, which do they value more?

FINDINGS

Koreans feel a friend has uiri when they trust each other, help in hard times, show a caring heart, and have spent a long time together.

한국인들은 서로를 믿괴 어려울 때 도와주며, 아껴주는 마음을 보일 때 그리고 오랜 시 간을 함께 보냈을 때 의리가 있는 것으로 생각하는Koreans think there is uiri when they trust each other, help in hard times, show a caring heart, and have spent a long time together.p1

Betraying trust and faith, two-faced behavior, and selfish behavior were seen as lacking uiri.

믿음과 신의를 저버리는 행동, 이중적인 행동, 이기적인 행동 등 이 의리없는 행동으로 나타나Behavior that betrays trust and faith, two-faced behavior, selfish behavior, and the like appeared as behavior lacking uiri.p18

In scenarios where uiri and social justice clashed, a person who kept uiri with a friend — even if not socially just — was rated as the more desirable friend.

피험자들은 비록 사회적으로 정의롭진 않지만 친구와의 의리를 지키는 사람이 친구로서 바람직한 것으로 평가하였고Participants rated the person who keeps uiri with a friend, though not socially just, as desirable as a friend.p1

The authors read this as Koreans valuing uiri, a maximal morality — that is, the relationship — over social justice, a minimal morality.

한국인들이 최소도덕의 성격을 떤 사회 정의 보다는 최대도덕인 의리를 중요시한다는…that Koreans value uiri, a maximal morality, over social justice, which has the character of a minimal morality.p18

최대도덕인 의리를 중요시한다는 즉, 관계를 중요시한다는 주장들을 뒤받침해 주는 증거…evidence supporting the claims that Koreans value uiri, a maximal morality — that is, that they value relationships.p18

IN DAILY LIFE

A friend who will lend you money with no conditions becomes the yardstick for a true friend with uiri.

돈을 아무런 조건없이 꾸어줄 수 있는 친구가 진정한, 의리있는 친구를 판가름 하는 잣대가 되는 것이다A friend who can lend you money without any conditions becomes the yardstick that tells a true friend with uiri.p2

Making a point of learning a new acquaintance's age and career is a way to gauge their social position and credit.

처음 만난 상 대의 나이와 경력을 굳이 알려고 하는 것도 연령 이 사회적 위치를 가늠하고Making a point of learning the age and career of someone you have just met is because age gauges social position, and…p2

상대의 신용을 확인할 수 있는 수단이 되는 탓이다…because it serves as a means of checking the other’s credit.p2

Caveats — Based on a scanned original converted to text; numbers appear only where a quoted passage shows them. The samples are small and mostly university students.

In depth

This paper, more closely — every sentence carries an original quote and page number.

Background

The authors started from a concern that with family, group, and individual selfishness spreading and more young people absorbed in playing alone, friendship and uiri no longer feel as urgent in Korean society.

가족 이기주의, 집단 이기주의, 개인 이기주 의가 팽배하고 '나홀로 놀이'에 몰두하는 N세대 들이 급증함에 따라…as family selfishness, group selfishness, and individual selfishness are rampant and the N-generation absorbed in 'playing alone' grows rapidly…p2

에 대한 절박함이 사라지고 있는 듯하다 따라서, 본 연구에서는 먼저…the sense of urgency about [friendship and uiri] seems to be disappearing. Therefore, this study first…p2

Loyalty to friends and social justice can collide — choosing between loyalty to one's organization and socially just whistle-blowing is a typical example.

최대 도덕인 의리와 최소 도덕인 정의가 서로 상충될 수 있는데 내부자 고발 등의 문제가 이에 해당된다Uiri, a maximal morality, and justice, a minimal morality, can conflict with each other; issues such as whistle-blowing are examples.p3

조직에 대한 신뢰와 믿음, 즉 의리를 선택할 것인가 아니면 조직을 배반하는 행동이지만 사회적으로는 정의로운 행동을 선택할 것인가…whether to choose trust and faith in the organization, that is, uiri, or an act that betrays the organization but is socially just…p3

Method

Three studies were combined. Study 1 used open-ended questionnaires about a friend with uiri and a friend without it, grouping the answers into categories; Study 2 showed a video about two friends' uiri and asked for interpretations; Study 3 was an experiment using scenarios in which uiri and justice clash.

Study 1: 65 male and female university students. Study 2: 70 first-year university students. Study 3: adults (teachers) and university students (20 students and 20 adults per scenario).
In Study 3, one of two childhood friends who co-founded a venture company asks to use company money for personal reasons; participants read one of three versions — the other friend does not respond, refuses, or agrees — and rated that person’s behavior.

개방형 질문지를 통한 질적인 접근 방법(연구 1)과 비디오(연구 2) 및 시 나리오를 통한 실험(연구 3)…a qualitative approach using open-ended questionnaires (Study 1), and experiments using a video (Study 2) and scenarios (Study 3)…p1

응답내용을 비슷한 어휘별로 묶어 범주화하는 다단계 범주화 기법을 사용하였다…used a multi-stage categorization technique, grouping responses by similar wording.p6

'의리있는 친구간의 사건을 통한 행동 변화 및 이에 대한 반응'을 그리고 있는 비디오…a video depicting ‘changes in behavior through an incident between friends with uiri, and reactions to it’…p11

남녀 대학생 65명이 설문에 답하였괴 남학생 36명, 여학생 29명이었다65 male and female university students answered the questionnaire: 36 men and 29 women.p5

본 연구는 대학생 1학년을 대상(전체=70 명, 남: 35명, 여: 35명)으로 실시되었고This study was conducted with first-year university students (total = 70; 35 men, 35 women)…p11

성인(교사들, N= 평균연령 29세)과 대학생(N=60, 평균연령 21 세)을 대상으로 실험을 실시…the experiment was run with adults (teachers; mean age 29) and university students (N = 60, mean age 21)…p14

본 연구는 피험자간 설계로 실시되었고 각 시나리오당 학생과 성인 20명씩 참가하였다This study used a between-subjects design, with 20 students and 20 adults per scenario.p14

어린 시절을 함께 지낸, 우정이 깊은 두 친구가 함께 벤처기업을 창업하는 상황을 가정하였고…assumed a situation in which two close friends who spent their childhood together co-found a venture company…p14

그 중 한 친구가 공금을 개인적으로 사용하고자 할 때 다른 친구의 대응 행동을 세 가지로 구분하여…when one of them wants to use company funds personally, the other friend’s response was divided into three types…p14

통제 상황으로 친구의 부탁(공금사용)에 대해 아무런 반응을 보이지 않는 것이고…the control situation, showing no response to the friend’s request (to use company funds)…p14

Detailed findings

The most common reason for feeling a friend has uiri was “they comfort and help me when I'm struggling.”

가장 많은 응답으로 '내가 힘들 때 위로 하고 도의쭌다'는 반응이 나왔고The most common response was “they comfort and help me when I'm struggling.”p6

Uiri behaviors split into give-and-take behaviors (helping in hard times, keeping secrets) and will-related behaviors (not bending one's convictions, taking responsibility for one's words and actions).

'상호 교류적 의리행동'과 자신의 뜻을 굽히 지 않거나, 말과 행동에 책임을 지괴…'mutually interactive uiri behavior' and not bending one's will, taking responsibility for one's words and actions…p6

의리 당사자간에 서로 어려울 때 도와주고 믿는 행동과 서로의 비밀을 이야기하고 지켜주는 것과 같은…such as helping and trusting each other in hard times and sharing and keeping each other’s secrets…p6

With a friend who has uiri, the most common feeling was “I want to be good to them and not let them down.”

'그 친구에게 잘 해주고 싶고 실망시키고 싶지 않다13/89)'라는 반 용이 가장 많이 나왔고The response “I want to be good to that friend and don't want to disappoint them” came up most often.p8

The most common reason for feeling a friend lacks uiri was “I can't trust them (they have no faithfulness).”

하는 근거는 '믿음이 가지 않는대신의가 없다)' 는 반응이 가장 많은 것으로 나타났다…the reason was most often the response “I can't trust them (they lack faithfulness).”p8

Asked to define uiri in their own words, students most often answered “trust and faith in the other person.”

'의리란 상대방에 대한 믿음과 신뢰이다라는 반응이 가장 많이 나 왔다The response “uiri is trust and faith in the other person” came up most often.p10

In the video study, more viewers said that continuing to see a friend's fiancée — one's former lover — betrays uiri, showing that in a love-versus-friendship conflict judgments lean toward uiri.

우정을 지켜야 한다는 의리의식과 사랑간의 갈등은 결국 의리쪽 으로 기우는 경향을 보이고 있다…the conflict between the uiri-minded sense that friendship must be kept and love ultimately tends to lean toward uiri.p12

친구와 결혼할 여자라는 사실을 알고도 자신이 이전에 사랑했던 사람을 다시 만나려고 하고…knowing she is the woman his friend will marry, still trying to see the person he once loved again…p12

'그렇대49)'는 대답이 '아니다(16)'라는 반응보다 많이 나와…“yes” (49) answers outnumbered “no” (16)…p12

In the scenario experiment, both adults and students rated the person who granted a friend's request (to use company money) clearly higher on uiri than in the other situations.

의리의 경우 성인과 학 생 모두 친구의 부탁을 수용하는 상황을 다른 상 황보다 유의미하게 높게 평가했고For uiri, both adults and students rated the situation of granting the friend's request significantly higher than the other situations.p15

There was no difference between adults and students in uiri and justice ratings; differences came only from the situation.

성인과 학생 집단 간의 차이는 나타나지 않았고 각 상황에 따 른 차이가 있었다No difference appeared between the adult and student groups; there were differences by situation.p15

Authors’ interpretation

If Western friendship behavior is “instrumental,” the authors interpret Korean students' friendship behavior as heartfelt exchanges of jeong (정) and trust.

한국의 대학생들의 우정행동은 다분히 마음이 실린 정-신뢰 상호작용 행동이라 고 할 수 있다…Korean university students' friendship behavior can be said to be largely heartfelt jeong–trust interaction behavior.p10

서구의 우정행동이 도구적(instrumental)인 목적 행동이라 한다면If Western friendship behavior is instrumental, goal-directed behavior…p10

One could read these results as Koreans lacking morality, but the authors do not conclude that, citing earlier research that Koreans hold moral values at a level similar to Americans.

러한 결과들이 한국인들은 도덕성이 결여되어 있 다고 해석할 수도 있으나, 한국인들이 비교적 미 국과 비슷한 수준의 도덕적 가치를 가지고 있다These results could be interpreted as Koreans lacking morality, but [earlier research shows that] Koreans hold moral values at a level relatively similar to Americans…p17

도덕적 가치를 가지고 있다는 기존의 연-HKim ⅸ Yamaguchl, 1996)를 보더라…considering earlier research (Kim & Yamaguchi, 1996) that they hold moral values…p17

That “I have no friends” and “we can't trust each other” have become social problems signals that the minimum moral conduct expected between friends is not being met and that selfishness is widespread.

친구간에 서로에게 기 대되는 최소한의 도덕적 행위가 이루어지지 않고 있괴 개인 및 집단이기주의가 팽배해 있음을 시 사한다…suggests that the minimum moral conduct expected between friends is not taking place and that individual and group selfishness is rampant.p19

Limits the authors note

Study 1 surveyed only university students, so views across generations and gender differences need future research.

본 연구는 대학생들을 대상으로 실시되 었괴 여성과 남성의 의리의식에 대한 차이도 추 후 연구에서는 실시될 필요가 있다This study was conducted with university students; differences between women's and men's uiri-mindedness also need to be examined in future research.p19

연구 1의 경우 의리에 관한 여러 세대의 사회적 표상을 알아볼 필요가 있다For Study 1, the social representations of uiri across generations need to be examined.p19

The Study 2 video was already well known to students, so participants may have paid more attention to the actors or setting than to the content.

이미 잘 알려진 내용이어서 피험자들이 실험 내용보다는 등장 인물이나 배경 에 더 많은 주의를 기울였을 가능성이 있다…being already well-known content, participants may have paid more attention to the characters or background than to the experimental content.p19

연구 2에서 실험자극으로 사용한 비디오물의 내용은 청소년이나 대학생들에게The content of the video used as the stimulus in Study 2 [was already well known] to teenagers and university students…p19

Key terms

Uiri (의리, 義理) The relational “rightness” of we-ness and jeong relationships — a private duty and a basic morality between people bound by jeong.

의리는 우리성 • 정관계의 관계 정의이고, 사적 의무이자 기본 도덕이라고 할 수 있다Uiri is the relational justice of we-ness/jeong relationships, and can be called a private duty and basic morality.p5

Ujeong (우정, 友情, friendship) Since chingu (친구, 親舊) means “someone you have been close to for a long time,” ujeong is the jeong that forms between such people.

우정이란 말은 '오랜 동안 친하게 지내온 사람들간에 가지는 정(情)'을 의미The word ujeong means 'jeong held between people who have been close for a long time.'p2

즉 친구란 '오랜 동안 친하게 지내온 사람을 의미하며…that is, chingu means ‘a person one has been close to for a long time’…p2

Maximal and minimal morality Uiri is a “maximal morality” that may even demand self-sacrifice; social justice is a “minimal morality” that all members of society must keep (a distinction the paper cites from earlier work by 이승환).

의 회생까지도 감수해야하는 최대 도덕의 성격을 지닌 것으로 규정한 반면, 사회 정의는 사회 구 성원들이 지켜야 하는 최소 도덕으로 규정한 바…defined as having the character of a maximal morality that may require even self-sacrifice, whereas social justice was defined as a minimal morality that members of society must keep.p3

이승환(1丱8)은 의리를 경우에 따라서는 자신Lee Seung-hwan (1998) [defined] uiri as, in some cases, [demanding] one’s own…p3