Grief Ministry as Homecoming: Framing Death from a Korean-American Perspective

Using the personal experience of a “homecoming” funerary journey from the U.S. to Korea, the author probes the cultural construction of familial bonds between the living and the dead in Korean and biblical (Genesis) funeral narratives. This article highlights the cultural differences between American and Korean funeral traditions — that is, (1) dying at a hospital vs. dying at home, (2) embalming vs. sup/yom (washing/binding of the corpse), (3) metal casket vs. wooden coffin, (4) committal vs. banhon (returning of the spirit) – to explore the religious and practical implications of the multicultural grieving process for pastoral care and grief ministry in which death is conceived as returning to the familial, cultural, and spiritual homes.

Korean dance performance influences on prospective tourist cultural products consumption and behaviour intention

We examined to what extent viewing the Korean dance performance by Beyond The Scene (BTS) at the 2018 Melon Music Awards influenced global viewers’ purchase of Korean cultural products and tourism behaviour intention. We surveyed 230 prospective tourists from the USA (black adult females = 50%; mean age = 34.9, SD = 1.116) in terms of their preference for Korean cultural products and intention to visit Korea. We conducted structural equation modelling to map the paths among cultural product preferences and tourism intentions. We found that viewing the Korean dance performance by BTS not only increased the purchase of Korean cultural products among participants, but also their tourism behaviour intention. We also found that the purchase of Korean cultural products by participants was associated with increased Korea tourism behaviour intention. We conclude from these data that viewing cultural performances by would-be tourists and their purchase preferences are important for promoting tourism through cultural industries.     

Ethnic and cultural variations in anger regulation and attachment patterns among Korean American and European American male batterers

This study examined relationships among ethnicity, self-construals, and 2 risk factors for marital violence (anger, insecure attachment) in Korean American and European American male batterers. Korean (vs. European) American batterers experienced more anger and controlled their anger less. Independent self-construal was positively associated with anger experience and anger control and mediated the influence of ethnicity on anger control. Korean batterers were less independent, and less independent batterers controlled their anger less. Korean batterers' attachment styles were more avoidant and less anxious. Independent and interdependent self-construals were negatively associated with anxious and avoidant attachment, respectively. Independent self-construal mediated the influence of ethnicity on avoidant attachment. Clinical severity and adherence to traditional gender roles may help explain these ethnic and cultural variations.     

Benefits of cultural exposure and development of Korean perspective-taking ability for transracially adopted Korean children

This study investigated the benefits of cultural exposure for transracially adopted (TRA) Korean children's developmental understanding of being Korean. Fifty TRA Korean children living in the United States were interviewed to assess their understanding of the implications of their Korean status for peer relations and personal identities, using a model of perspective-taking ability (PTA). Results showed cultural exposure and chronological age were significant predictors of children's PTA for being Korean. Cultural exposure had a slightly stronger relationship with PTA development for younger children than older ones. Comparison with another sample suggested that nonadopted native Korean children in the United States for an average of 25 months achieved levels of PTA at earlier ages did TRA children but that level of cultural exposure mediated these age differences.     

Bicultural identity integration (BII): components and psychosocial antecedents

The present study examines the underresearched topic of bicultural identity; specifically, we: (1) unpack the construct of Bicultural Identity Integration (BII), or the degree to which a bicultural individual perceives his/her two cultural identities as "compatible" versus "oppositional," and (2) identify the personality (Big Five) and acculturation (acculturation stress, acculturation attitudes, bicultural competence) predictors of BII. Differences in BII, acculturation stress, and bicultural competence were measured with new instruments developed for the purposes of the study. Using a sample of Chinese American biculturals, we found that variations in BII do not define a uniform phenomenon, as commonly implied in the literature, but instead encompass two separate independent constructs: perceptions of distance (vs. overlap) and perceptions of conflict (vs. harmony) between one's two cultural identities or orientations. Results also indicated that cultural conflict and cultural distance have distinct personality, acculturation, and sociodemographic antecedents.     

平辈亲属词语义加工中长幼概念的空间隐喻和重量隐喻——来自中国朝鲜族和汉族的证据

采用具身认知范式考察平辈亲属词语义加工中长幼概念的空间和重量隐喻,比较中国朝鲜族和汉族的长幼观念。实验1表明,中国朝鲜族人在平辈亲属词语义加工中对平辈年长亲属词的加工快于对平辈年幼亲属词的加工,并且存在着部分的上下隐喻一致性效应,平辈年幼亲属词呈现在屏幕的下方加工得快。汉族人在平辈亲属词语义加工中存在着完整的上下隐喻一致性效应:平辈年长亲属词呈现在屏幕上方加工得快,平辈年幼亲属词呈现在屏幕下方加工得快。实验2表明,"左大右小"的亲属词对促进了中国朝鲜族人对"左重右轻"天平倾斜方向的判断,表明亲属词对蕴含的长幼概念激活了重量概念,但对汉族人的天平倾斜方向判断却无显著的影响。实验3表明,"左重右轻"的天平倾斜方向促进了中国朝鲜族人对"左大右小"的朝鲜语亲属词对的年龄比较,表明重量加工激活了长幼概念,但不影响汉族人对汉语亲属词对的年龄比较。朝、汉两个民族对平辈亲属词的不同隐喻方式源于不同的文化图式,反映了两个民族的长幼文化的差异:与汉族人相比,中国朝鲜族人更重视长幼秩序,对长幼规范的要求更加严格。     

A Sustainable Medicine: Lessons from the Old Order Amish

Daniel Callahan's concept of a sustainable medicine is examined by looking at experiences Old Order Amish communities have had with organ and bone marrow transplantation. The Amish possess many characteristics that might make them embrace limits on the use of expensive, life-prolonging medical treatments: they believe that the good of the individual should be subordinated to the good of the community, they are suspicious of progress as a goal, and they are more comfortable with dying than many other modern Americans. However, the Amish actively pursue these treatments without the benefit of private or government insurance. Although the Amish affective response to sick individuals is worthy of emulating, their commitment to help individuals obtain and pay for transplants has had negative financial and cultural effects on some Amish communities. The Amish experience can thus teach us lessons about how to care for one another when we are sick and dying, but it can also teach us how difficult but important it is to limit some forms of expensive care for the good of our communities.     

Sexuality among wounded veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND): Implications for rehabilitation psychologists

OBJECTIVE: The sexual lives of returning Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) veterans have only been discussed minimally in the psychological literature. Given the nature of military social and cultural contexts, the potential for exposure to combat-related stressors that may lead to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the risk of traumatic brain injury secondary to physical injury, the potential for significant psychological and relational ramifications exists. This article focuses on the intimate relationships and sexuality of returning OIF/OEF/OND veterans within the context of their personal cultural variables and the diverse experience of being a part of military life. CONCLUSIONS: Culturally competent assessment and evidenced-based treatment approaches are highlighted to offer clinicians initial strategies to begin treatment of sexuality issues within the returning Veteran population. These clinical tools are discussed within a positive psychology approach that emphasizes healthy sexuality as a part of overall satisfactory quality of life.     

Babies Born Dying: Just Bad Karma? A Discussion Paper

The paper examines the notion of being born dying and karma. Karma is a belief upheld by Buddhists and non-Buddhists: That is, karma follows people from their previous lives into their current lives. This raises a difficult question: Does karma mean that a baby’s death is its own fault? While great peace can be found from a belief in karma, the notion of a baby’s karma returning in some sort of retributive, universal justice can be de-emphasized and is considered “un-Buddhist.” Having an understanding of karma is intrinsic to the spiritual care for the dying baby, not only from the perspective of parents and families who have these beliefs, but also for reconciling one’s own beliefs as a healthcare practitioner.     

The use of the thematic apperception test in the study of Native American psychological characteristics: a review and archival study of Navaho men

The present study was designed as a "snapshot in time"--an archival analysis of the psychological characteristics of four Navaho men taken from Navaho Veterans--A Study of Changing Values (E. Z. Vogt, 1951). From a sample of 15 men, Vogt judged 2 as "most acculturated" and 2 as "most unacculturated." The present study was an attempt to examine the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) protocols of these men on the basis of any recurring and psychologically significant thematic patterns, shared and unshared by the "acculturated" and "unacculturated" subjects. Vogt administered cards from the original TAT set created by H. A. Murray (1943). In this article, a section concerning the definitional use of the term acculturation is provided, followed by a discussion of the limitations inherent in the analysis of TAT protocols. A general survey of psychological and cultural studies of Native Americans using the TAT or TAT modifications is also provided. The examination of the protocol sets resulted in the identification of four themes or approaches to the TAT cards that were thought to be most pervasive and significant across both levels of acculturation: economic deprivation and physical suffering, loneliness/isolation, interpersonal conflict/violence, and individualistic vs. familial orientations. These themes and approaches are illustrated with quotations from the original protocols and are later summarized as the first four categories of a table comparing the psychological characteristics of the most acculturated men with the most unacculturated men. Results of the thematic analyses are discussed within the framework of economic and social pressures traditionally experienced by Native Americans.     

Application of Child Protective Services in Korea

Abstract

Because childrearing is a very culturally oriented practice, cultural sensitivity in Child Protective Services (CPS) is a very important factor for effective services. Korea has recently begun social intervention in cases of child abuse, but faces many difficulties resulting from cultural dilemmas. In particular, Korean society has the value of corporal punishment and negative attitudes toward social intervention into family issues. These cultural characteristics result in strong resistance to intervention by CPS. In the future, the success of child abuse intervention in Korean society will depend on how these cultural dilemmas are resolved. The development of a CPS model based on Korean culture can be an alternative to reduce conflicts in the application of CPS.     

儒家社会学何以可能

当孔德创立作为崭新学问的社会学时 ,其中包含着当时欧洲的历史经验以及对新社会理想和展望。东方社会具有不同于西方社会的历史和文化特点。尤其是资本主义和民主主义所导致的许多问题意味着东方社会再也不能把西方思想当成普遍的价值予以接收。因而需要一种反映东方社会的历史经验、文化特点和社会理想的新的社会学。“儒家社会学”就是根据儒家的世界观和社会思想而提出的。本文系统地考察了儒家的理性、儒家的思维方式和儒家知识的特点 ,并据此探究儒家社会学方法论及其意义。本文认为儒家社会学将拓展西方传统社会学的理论视野 ,将对东方社会学发展具有积极意义。     

Moral in whose eyes? Cross-cultural differences in moral decision making and behaviour

All people want to feel that they are morally adequate. People tend to evaluate their moral adequacy by judging their behaviour through their own eyes (first-person perspective) or the eyes of others (third-person perspective). People in all cultures use both perspectives, but there may be cultural variations in which perspective takes precedence. By conducting two studies, we explore the way people in face cultures are more likely to secure their moral self-regard through the eyes of others (vs. their own eyes), whereas the opposite is true in case of people from dignity cultures. Study 1 found that people from face culture (Korean participants) cheated to a lesser extent when others were invoked (vs. not invoked), but people from dignity culture (American participants) were not affected by this priming. Study 2 found that moral intentions were more strongly influenced by what participants perceived others to do in moral situations in face (vs. dignity) cultures. In contrast, moral intentions were found to be more strongly influenced by what they believed they should do in moral situations in dignity (vs. face) cultures.     

The Perspective of Feminist Pastoral Theology,a Review of Indigenous and Cultural Psychology: Understanding People in Context

This essay review examines Indigenous and Cultural Psychology: Understanding People in Context, Edited by U. Kim, K.-S. Yang and K.-K. Hwang (New York, NY, US: Springer, 2006), from the perspective of feminist pastoral theology. In doing so, it focuses on shimjung, a critical Korean indigenous concept by Choi and Kim (Naïve psychology of Koreans’ interpersonal mind and behavior in close relationships. In U. Kim, K.-S. Yang &; K.-K. Hwang (Eds.), Indigenous and cultural Psychology: Understanding people in context (pp. 357–369). New York: Springer, 2006). There are three main sections in the essay review. First, shimjung of Korean women is discussed and compared with that of Korean men. Second, shimjung in mother–son relationship is analyzed and explored. Third, an invitation is given for further research in promoting shimjung exchange in the husband and wife relationship in Korean culture.     

Culture or anonymity? Differences in proposer behaviour in Korea and Germany

This study explores the proposer behaviour in an ultimatum game (UG) frame under anonymous and non‐anonymous conditions among a Korean and German subject pool (n = 590) in comparison. Whereas the anonymous condition is represented by the standard UG, the non‐anonymous condition integrates an aggregate of the Korean cultural context variables university affiliation, regional origin and seniority. The latter, a classic Confucian context variable, is measured by age differentials. The former two are impactful components of so‐called Yongo networks, a unique Korean informal institution identical to Chinese Guanxi ties. Yongo networks, yet underrepresented in research, are said to be a central context variable to explain Korean social ties and decision‐making behaviour. We observe significant differences between the offer behaviours of Korean and German subjects when exposing selected cultural variables. We argue that the behavioural differences observed are in fact due to culture not anonymity.     

The influences of cultural values, ethnic identity, and language use on the mental health of Korean American college students

Little research has examined ethnic identity, cultural values, and native language maintenance as predictors of mental health in Korean Americans. The authors explored the influences of ethnic identity, maintenance of Asian cultural values, and maintenance of Korean language usage on self-esteem, anxiety, and depression in Korean American college students (N = 133). Findings indicated that Korean American men reported relatively high levels of state and trait anxiety and that the overall sample reported a relatively high level of depression. Whereas language and ethnic identity had a minimal influence on the mental health of students, greater cultural value maintenance was associated with decreased self-esteem and increases in state anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression. The positive relationship between cultural values and mental health problems may be indicative of being caught in an ethnic bind, in which the clash of traditional and modern values contributes to psychological distress. The authors discuss clinical implications of the findings.     

Navigating Between Cultures: A New Paradigm for Korean American Cultural Identification

The author incorporates empirical methodology and cross-cultural psychology literature to propose a new paradigm for Korean American cultural identification. He explains cultural identification as a cultural process construct that has important bearing on how successfully or unsuccessfully minority persons may function in the U.S. The construct of bicultural orthogonal identification was applied toward the development of a bilingual 4-item Korean American Cultural Identification Scale (KACIA). A random sample of 80 from a larger national pool of 1,141 Korean Americans was used to develop the scale. Findings support the orthogonality of bicultural identifications and good validity and reliability for the KACIA. The author argues for complimentary dualism over conflicting dualism and the orientation of “both/and” over “either/or” as a strategy for doing pastoral practice and theology.Parts of this article appeared elsewhere in different versions and they are modified and used here with permission from the respective publishers (see Lee, 1994, 1995, 2004a).     

Liberation psychological implications for pastoral care of Korean military wives

Native Korean women frequently suffer poverty, sexual violence, and Confucian gender discrimination. Once in America Korean military wives also experience racial and sexual oppression, intercultural familial conflicts and violence, and identity crisis and lead to feelings of isolation and non-belonging, a sense of anomie. Korean American pastors tend to understate and oversimplify the complexity of psychological and spiritual suffering of Korean military wives and overemphasize individual faith development as a solution. Liberation psychology evolved from an awareness of similar dehumanizing realities. The context-based perspective of liberation psychology offers a model to interpret and assist in the psychological and spiritual healing of Korean military wives. The healing power of conscientization offered in Liberation psychology for oppressed individuals encourages self-awakening suggesting it as an ideal interventional model to help Korean military wives and would be a useful approach for Korean American pastors.     

Adherence to Asian Cultural Values and Cultural Fit in Korean American Undergraduates' Help‐Seeking Attitudes

Differences in and relationships of Asian cultural values, cultural congruity, perception of the university environment, and help‐seeking attitudes for 1st‐and 2nd‐generation Korean American undergraduates (N = 228) were examined. Women reported significantly higher cultural congruity and more positive help‐seeking attitudes than did men. Asian values adherence negatively predicted help‐seeking attitudes for women and 2nd‐generation students only. Implications for Korean American undergraduate support services are discussed, and suggestions are presented for future research.     

An analysis of “dignity”

The word dignity is frequently used both in clinical and philosophical discourse when referring to and describing the ideal conditions of the patient's treatment, particularly the dying patient. An exploration of the variety of meanings associated with the word dignity will note dignity's ambiguous usage and reveal instrumental concepts needed to better understand the discourse of the dying. When applied to a critique of recent and contemporary criticisms of the medical community's handling of the dying, such concepts might provide a more coherent notion of dignity. Rather than a separate construct, a death with dignity might be viewed as an interactive process among the dying and their caretakers. Together, this interdependent amalgam engages in humanizing communication aimed toward understanding the final needs and wants of the patient.