Effects of the Family Environment and the Biogenetic Temperament/Character on the Emotional and Behavioral Aspects of the Filial Piety

Lyoo, In Kyoon; Hong, Kang E M; Cho, Doo Young

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to tap the influence of the childhood and adolescent family environment and biogenetic temperament/character on the filial piety profile, i.e., its behavioral and emotional aspects in Korean college students.
METHODS
Ninety-eight college students(male=49, female=49, the main study group) in the Seoul Metropolitan area were selected using multi-stage(randomized) cluster procedures. Their parents(N=174) became the 'generation' comparison group. The Filial Piety Scale was used to evaluate the perception of filial piety, both in 13 individual items and in two factor-analytically- produced behavioral and emotional aspects of filial piety. The Family Environment Scale was used to evaluate the childhood and adolescent family environment. The Temperament and Character Inventory was used to assess biogenetic temperament and character of the study subjects.
RESULTS
Parents of college students scored significantly higher on filial piety items of familial harmony, responsibility/obligation, sacrifice, compensation, neighborhood harmony, and family continuity than their offspring did. There were no significant differences between study subjects and their parents in perceiving their family environment. Childhood environment with high moralethical emphasis and high achievement orientation was significantly correlated with the behavioral aspect of filial piety whereas cohesive and expressive family environment was shown to be linked to the emotional aspect of filial piety. Regarding the biogenetic temperament/character-filial piety relationship, low self-directedness was positively correlated with behavioral aspect of filial piety while high cooperativeness was positively correlated with emotional aspect of filial piety.
CONCLUSIONS
This study reports distinct patterns of relationship between childhood family environment and the filial piety profile and between biogenetic temperament/character and the filial piety profile in Korean college students.