When 1,465 Koreans freely described “who I am” in different situations, their sense of self turned out to be defined by roles in relationships — and to shift sharply depending on whom they were with.
Conception of Self in Korea: Indigenous, Cultural and Psychological Analysis
한국인의 자기 인식에 나타난 토착문화심리 분석
QUESTION
What indigenous psychology shows up in how Koreans see themselves — as individuals, with family, with people around them, and with strangers?
FINDINGS
Koreans’ self-perception was deeply tied not only to their individual traits but to the roles they play in relationships.
자기자신의 개별적인 측면만이 아니라 관계 내에서의 역할과 관련된 측면에 상당히 깊이 관련되어 있다…is considerably and deeply related not only to the individual aspects of oneself but to aspects tied to one’s role within relationships.p27The Korean self was less a single consistent entity than something that shifts fluidly with situation and relational context.
하나의 일관성을 지니는 것이라기보다 관계 역동이 작용하고 있는 상황과 맥락에 따라 매우 유동성을 지니는…rather than having a single consistency, it is highly fluid according to the situations and contexts in which relational dynamics operate…p29When alone, Koreans of every age and gender most often felt “loneliness.”
한국 사람들은 혼자 있을 때 남녀노소를 막론하고 '외로움'을 가장 많이 느낀다Koreans, regardless of age or sex, feel “loneliness” most when they are alone.p13With their father, the most typical feeling was wanting to avoid him out of unease — while an almost equal share showed another side (acknowledging and leaning on him).
한편으로는 아버지가 어려워 회피하고 싶은 것이 가장 대표적이고, 다른 한편으로는 어려워 피하고 싶은 사람들과 거의 비슷한 비율로On one hand, wanting to avoid the father out of unease is most typical, and on the other hand, at nearly the same rate as those who want to avoid him…p15아버지의 능력을 인정하면서 의지하고 어리광을 부리는 자기의 모습을 동시적으로 갖고 있었다…they simultaneously had a self that acknowledges the father's abilities, relies on him, and acts like a spoiled child.p15IN DAILY LIFE
With close friends, “drinking” came third after “comfort” and “conversation,” suggesting many close friendships are built around alcohol.
세 번째로 술이 많이 지적되었다 이는 치한 친구가 술을 매개로 맺어지고 있는 경우가 많음을 시사한다Third, drinking was frequently mentioned, which suggests that close friends are often bonded through drinking.p20편안함이 주를 이루는데, 이러한 인식은 학생과 성인 모두 동일하였다 그 다음으로 대화를 많이 하는 것으로 나타났…comfort predominated, and this was the same for students and adults; next came having a lot of conversation…p20Adult children with their mother feel at ease yet also sorry, resolving to be a dependable child and practice hyo (효, filial piety).
있을 때 편안함을 느끼며 동시에 죄송하고 든든한 자녀역할을 해야겠다는 생각으로 효도를…feel comfortable while at the same time feeling sorry, and with the thought that they should play the role of a dependable child, practice filial piety…p17성인들은 어머니와 함께 있을 때 편안함을 느끼며 동시에…adults, when with their mother, feel comfortable and at the same time…p17In depth
This paper, more closely — every sentence carries an original quote and page number.
Background
Earlier research holds that the West stresses an independent self while the East stresses an interdependent self defined through relationships — so East Asian selves may be more fluid across social contexts.
동양 사람들의 자기개념이 서양 사람보다 사회적 맥락에 따라 더욱 유동적이라고…Eastern people’s self-concept can be said to be more fluid than Westerners’ depending on social context.p3서양에서는 타인과 구별되는 독립된 자기를 강조하는…in the West, emphasizing an independent self distinct from others…p3동양에서는 개인이 타인과 연결되어 관계를 통해 자신의 정체성을…in the East, the individual is connected to others and has an identity through relationships…p3Korean studies had noted that because the Korean self is social and ethics-oriented, “what I should be” matters more than “what I am.”
'나는 무엇이다' 보다 '나는 어떠해야 한다'가 한국인에게 중요하다고…“I should be such-and-such” is more important to Koreans than “I am such-and-such”…p4한국인의 self는 사회적이고 윤리가치지향적이기 때문에…because the Korean self is social and oriented toward ethics and values…p4Method
Using an open-ended questionnaire the authors designed, respondents freely described themselves in situations such as “me ordinarily” or “me with my father”; answers were grouped into categories and their frequencies analyzed.
총 1,465명으로서, 학생 623명과 성인 842명으로 구성되었다…a total of 1,465 people, consisting of 623 students and 842 adults.p6이 연구에서 사용된 측정도구는 연구자에 의해 제작되었다The instrument used in this study was made by the researchers.p7학생용과 성인용 질문지로 나누어졌으며 자유반응형으로 구성되었다It was divided into student and adult questionnaires and consisted of open-ended items.p7개인으로서의 자기 인식(보통 때의 나, 독특한 개인으로서의 나, 혼자 있을 때의 나)Self-perception as an individual (me ordinarily, me as a unique individual, me when alone)p7유사한 항목끼리 묶어서 법주를 구성하고, 각 범주에 대한 명칭을 부여하였다Similar items were grouped into categories, and each category was named.p7초등학교 6학년, 중학교 3학년, 고등학교 3학년 및 대학생을 표집하므로써…by sampling 6th graders, 9th graders, 12th graders, and university students…p6표집된 초 중 고 대학생들을 대상으로 학교에서 직접 질문지를 실시하였다…the questionnaire was administered directly at school to the sampled elementary, middle, high school, and university students.p7성인집단은 표집대상 학생들로 하여금 각자 집에 돌아가 부모들의 질문지를 실시하여 받아오도록 하였다For the adult group, the sampled students each went home, had their parents complete the questionnaire, and brought it back.p73명의 채점자가 자료입력을 위한 들을 최종적으로 확정하였다Three coders finalized the framework for data entry.p7Detailed findings
Describing their ordinary selves, both students and adults most often said they were “lively and cheerful.”
학생이든 성인이든 활발하고 즐겁다는 생각을 가장 많이 하는 것으로 나타났다Both students and adults most often thought of themselves as lively and cheerful.p8보통 때 자기에 대해 긍정적인 인식을 하는 경향이 있었다…there was a tendency to perceive oneself positively in ordinary times.p8With age — especially from the 40s — thinking about “my role” in daily life became far more common.
40대 이후로 나이가 들면 자기의 역할에 대한 인식을 훨씬 많이 하게 됨을…especially after one’s 40s, as one grows older, one becomes far more aware of one’s own role…p8성인 내에서도 40대 이후가 되면 평소에 자기의 역할을 고려하는 자신의 모습이Even among adults, from their 40s on, the self that considers its role in ordinary times…p8Elementary pupils often felt at ease with their father, but from high school on the tendency to find him hard and avoid him became very marked.
고등학생 이후가 되면 아버지를 어려워하며 회피하는 경향이 매우 현저해지고From high school onward, the tendency to find the father difficult and avoid him becomes very pronounced…p15초등학생은 아버지와 함께 있을 때 편안함을 가장 많이 느끼며 어리광을 부리지만…elementary students feel comfort most with their father and act like spoiled children, but…p15With their mother, both students and adults most typically felt warm, friend-like comfort.
학생과 성인 모두 어머니와 함께 있을 때 가장 대표적인 자기 인식은 따뜻하다든가 친구같다는 즉 편안한 느낌For both students and adults, the most typical self-perception with their mother is a feeling of comfort — warm, or like a friend.p17Parents named “joy” as their most typical self with their children, and felt a strong sense of responsibility almost as often.
한국의 부모들은 자녀들과 함께 있을 때 가장 대표적인 자기 인식은 즐거움이For Korean parents, the most typical self-perception when with their children is joy…p18그 다음으로 거의 비슷한 수준으로 부모들이 자녀와 함/게 있을 때 책임감을 강하게 느끼고 있다Next, at an almost similar level, parents strongly feel responsibility when with their children.p18With teachers, students most often felt tension — discomfort, distance, or fear.
선생님과 함께 있을 때 전반적으로 불편하다든가 거리/금을 느낀다든가 또는 무서움 등 긴장감을…when with teachers, they feel tension — discomfort, a sense of distance, or fear…p20따라서 학생 분석대상들에게는 친한 친구와 선생님을Therefore, for student respondents, close friends and teachers…p20Adults felt uncomfortable most often with their boss, but the opposite — comfort and consideration — with their subordinates.
부하 직원과 함께 있을 때에 편안함과 배려함을 가장 많이 느꼈으며…when with subordinates, they most often felt comfort and consideration…p24직장 상사와 함께 있을 때 불편함을 가장 많이 느끼는 것과는 반대로…in contrast to feeling discomfort most when with a boss…p24With strangers, “indifference” was most common among both students and adults — about 4–5 in 10.
낯선 사람과 함께 있을 때의 자기 인식은 가치중립적으로 무관심한 경우가 10명 중에서 4~5명 정도로Self-perception with strangers was most often value-neutral indifference — about 4 to 5 out of 10…p24Authors’ interpretation
The authors attribute the weight of relational roles in self-concept largely to Confucian influence.
인간관계에서 개인이 처한 역할이 자기에 대한 개념에서 중요하게 작용하는 것은, 다분히 유교적인 영향이 크다고That the role one occupies in human relationships works importantly in one’s self-concept can be said to be largely a Confucian influence.p27A self that keeps changing with relational context also connects to Buddhism, which with Confucianism forms a root of Korean culture.
유교와 더불어 우리 문화의 뿌리를 구성하고 있는 불교의 기본 정신과 연결되는 점이 있다…it has points connecting with the basic spirit of Buddhism, which together with Confucianism makes up the roots of our culture.p29Through a Western rationalist lens this may look very strange, but it may be another form of maturity — relational flexibility that takes the whole into account.
관계적 측면에서 유연성이 있는 것이며 전체를 종합적으로 배려하는 또 다른 성숙의 한 모습일 수도 있다…it is flexibility in the relational aspect and may be another form of maturity that considers the whole comprehensively.p31서구식 합리주의 시각에서 보면 매우 이상하게 비추이질 것이다…would look very strange from a Western rationalist perspective.p31Limits the authors note
The Buddhist explanation (impermanence, non-self) is only one of several possible explanations.
그러나 이것은 가능한 설명 중의 하나이며, 이외에도 여러 다양한 설명이 가능하기 때문에However, this is only one possible explanation, and since many other explanations are possible…p30불교에서 모든 것이 변한다는 무상관이나, 내가 없다는 무아관은The Buddhist view of impermanence, that everything changes, or the view of non-self, that there is no 'I'…p30The authors state it would be absurd to claim one paper could fully explain the indigenous psychology of Korean self-perception; it is only a small beginning.
이 한 편의 논문으로 한국인의 자기 인식에 대한 토착심리를 규명한다는 것은 어불성설임을…that claiming to clarify the indigenous psychology of Koreans’ self-perception with this one paper is absurd.p32토착심리를 규명하려는 하나의 너무나 작은 시작에 불과함을 겸손히…humbly that it is no more than a very small beginning toward clarifying the indigenous psychology…p32Key terms
Interdependent self-construal A self-concept in which a person is connected to others and gains identity through relationships.
이 타인과 연결되어 관계를 통해 자신의 정체성을 갖는 상호의존적 자기개념…an interdependent self-concept in which the individual is connected with others and has an identity through relationships.p3Musang-gwan (무상관, 無常觀, impermanence) The Buddhist view that nothing in life is permanent and everything changes — the basic nature of the universe.
무상관이란 우리 삶에서 영원한 것은 아무 것도 없고, 모든 것은 변하는데Musang-gwan means that nothing in our lives is permanent and everything changes…p29모든 것은 변하는데 이것이 우주의 기본 성질이라는 것…everything changes, and this is the basic nature of the universe.p29Sugi-anin (수기안인, 修己安人) Cultivating oneself and putting others at ease — a spirit that, in Confucianism, extends into social ethics.
수기안인(修己安人)은 자기를 수양하고 남을 편안하게 해 준다는 의미로Sugi-anin means cultivating oneself and putting others at ease…p30유교에서 사회 윤리로 확대되는 수기안인(修己安人)…sugi-anin (修己安人), which in Confucianism extends into social ethicsp30