Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to introduce eight articles which were written on the psychological mechanisms of accidents in Korean society and to suggest alternatives to prevent them. All of these articles were presented during the “Symposium of Safety” at the Annual Conference of the Korean Psychological Association, at Youngnam University through October 18～19, 2002. Frequently occurring accidents in Korean society are a very serious and enduring social issue. Psychological and cultural factors, as well as environmental factors, were found to be leading causes of the various accidents. The preventative alternatives for these accidents should be developed taking into account these factors. A nation-wide comprehensive institute for accident management is necessary to control accidents and to study and to develop preventive programs. The attitude of psychologists also needs to shift from the laboratory to the field toward accidents and from passive to aggressive toward issues facing Korean society.