Exploring Sources of Life Meaning among Koreans

Kim, Mira; Lee, Hong Seock; Lee, Sang Kyu

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose was to explore sources of Koreans' life meaning and determine its structure that is reflective of Koreans' unique culture and values.
METHODS
The study consisted of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. To this end, two sample data sets were collected. Study One was an exploratory study in which the qualitative component was conducted in order to gather all possible attributes of sources of life meaning among Koreans. All possible sources of life meaning were extracted through content analysis. Study Two was a quantitative study using a closed questionnaire and conducted in order to determine the structure of Koreans' life meaning by measuring Koreans' current level of life meaning. For the study, factor analysis was carried out.
RESULTS
From Study One, 106 attributes of all possible sources of Koreans' life meaning were extracted. In Study Two, factor analysis with the responses from 638 subjects reduced 106 attributes to 53 attributes and ten factors were extracted as Koreans' sources of life meaning: Achievement, Security, Religion, Acceptance & Affirmation, Relationship, Self-Transcendence, Good Character, Self-Discipline, Physical Health and Intimate Friend.
CONCLUSION
AND IMPLICIATIONS: Among the ten factors extracted from this study, the factors of Security, Acceptance and Affirmation, Good Character, Self-Discipline, and Physical Health are Koreans' unique factors of Life Meaning, while Achievement, Religion, Relationship, Self-Transcendence and Intimate Friend are comparable to Wong's1) Personal Meaning Profile for Canadians. It implies that it is necessary to develop Koreans' own measurement tool in order to assess their life meaning properly. However, because this study was an exploratory in developing Koreans' life meaning mea-surement and had several limitations, in order to determine structure of Koreans' life meaning, further study must be necessary.