This Study examined impact of academic stress and acculturation stress experienced by overseas Republic of Korean students on psychological adjustment. For this purpose, the 152 female and male Korean students attending in undergraduate and graduate course in English speaking countries were surveyed. Academic stress and acculturation stress has negative correlation with psychological wellbeing and life satisfaction but has positive correlation with depression and anxiety. Hierarchical regression analysis confirmed that demographic variables predicted psychological well-being, life satisfaction and depression except anxiety. After controlling the demographic variables, academic stress and acculturation stress predicted psychological well-being, life satisfaction, depression and anxiety. Finally, limitations of this study, the significance, the direction of future research are discussed.
This study investigated the effects of a brief Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditation(20 minutes) on compassionate love and altruism of undergraduate students. Among the 187 students who were completed the KIIP-SC, 35 of high scored students in Interpersonal Problem Scale were randomly assigned to one of two different groups: Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditation group(LCM, n=19) and Imagery Trainning group(IT, n=16). During the 20 minutes of practice, LCM group was asked to practice loving-kindness and compassion meditation and IT group was asked to investigate personal characteristics of the imagined people who were same as LCM. Compassionate love, four immeasurebles, two kind of altruistic behaviors, and mood states were measured pre- and post-treatment. LCM group showed significantly higher incremental scores for compassionate love, donation for strange person, and helping behaviors for friends, for close person, and for stranger than IT group. Negative and positive mood states were improved for each of the groups, but there was no significant differences between groups. The results suggested that the comparatively short practice of loving-kindness and compassion meditation could increase altruistic attitudes and intentions toward other persons. And, these effects could not be attributed to mood effects. Limitations of this study and the directions of further research were discussed.
This driving simulation study examined relative differences in driving anger as the functions of drivers’ gender and driving experiences, and actor-observer perspectives when they were exposed in two anger-provoking driving scenarios(cutting-in and sudden stop). The results showed the followings. First, neither drivers’ gender nor driving experience, when they were considered independently of the driving situation types and actor-observer perspectives, yielded significant difference in driving anger. Second, actor-observer effect on driving anger was observed only in the cutting-in condition where other driver’s intension was emphasized. Third, the female drivers of low driving experience tended to show the strongest tendency of actor-observer bias in the cutting-in condition. These results suggested that the levels of driving anger as the functions of drivers’ gender and driving experience can be differed by types of driving situation as well as perspectives of drivers’ interpreting the situations.
The purpose of this study was to investigate psychological processes based on the Korean college students’ development of social justice interest and commitment. For this study, we replicated Miller and colleagues’(2009) study, which explained the development of social justice interest and commitment by social-cognitive career theory(SCCT). Social desirability was controlled, and then self-reports data from 343 college students were analyzed using Structural Estimate Modeling(SEM). As a result, the final research model that social justice self-efficacy and outcome expectations affect social justice interest and commitment was proven valid for Korean college students. Also, in comparison with the direct effects model(social supports and barriers affect directly on commitment), the indirect effects model(social supports and barriers affect indirectly on commitment through self-efficacy) was supported. As an unique path of social-justice domain, the indirect effect by social support on commitment through outcome expectation was proved, as well. This study covers measurement limitations, future directions for research, and some lessons points with regards to how Korean college students to have social justice interest and commitment.
The previous researches of gambling have been rather focused on the legal gambling industry and gambling addiction and ignored the issue of illegal gambling. But, illegal gambling in Korea has been continuously growing in its volume and the numbers of the relevant mental and social problems such as gambling addiction, crimes, suicides, and etc. have been increasing rapidly. The present study investigated the psychological characteristics of illegal gamblers with comparing gamblers who never experienced illegal gambling (NE), who experienced illegal gambling but participate mainly in legal gambling (EIG), and who participate mainly in illegal gambling (MIG). 1317 NEs, 177 EIGs, and 37 MIGs were recruited and completed an online survey that measured individual dispositions (risk-taking tendency, regulatory focus, locus of control), attitudes towards gambling regulations, misconception of illegal gambling, motives (monetary, excitement, socialization), and emotions. First, EIGs and MIGs, compared to NEs, preferred risk-taking, and EIGs were more promotion focused than NEs. Also, EIGs perceived illegal gambling as less illegal and tended to hold more misconceptions about illegal gambling, compared to NEs. Furthermore, EIGs and MIGs had stronger monetary and excitement motivation than NEs. Finally, MIGs were more likely to feel anxious than other groups. Focusing on the illegality of gambling, the characteristics of illegal gamblers are discussed and political implication on illegal gambling is suggested.