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Elder respect among young adults: Exploration of behavioral forms in Korea

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Abstract

Koreans, along with the Chinese and the Japanese, have practiced elder respect for generations. As Korea has undergone rapid industrialization, this age-old practice has become an issue of major concern for policy makers and gerontologists. However, there has been little investigation of this important and timely issue. As currently conceptualized, elder respect is too general and abstract for use in practice and research. This study explored specific ways in which young adults treat the elderly with respect. Based on data from a questionnaire survey of college students in South Korea, the study identified a comprehensive set of behavioral forms of elder respect that ranged from care respect to public respect. A typology of 14 forms of elder respect emerged. The meanings of these forms, certain cultural traits associated with the forms, changing expressions of respect, and the needs for future research are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 90089-0411, Los Angeles, CA

    Kyu-taik Sung MSW, Ph.D., BA, MA (Francis Wu Professor)

  2. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan

    Kyu-taik Sung MSW, Ph.D., BA, MA (Francis Wu Professor)

  3. Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea

    Kyu-taik Sung MSW, Ph.D., BA, MA (Francis Wu Professor)

  4. Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

    Han Sung Kim MSW, BA, Ph.D.

  5. Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea

    Han Sung Kim MSW, BA, Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Kyu-taik Sung MSW, Ph.D., BA, MA
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  2. Han Sung Kim MSW, BA, Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Kyu-taik Sung MSW, Ph.D., BA, MA.

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His areas of interest include cross-cultural study of aging and family, intergenerational relations, and values and practices of parent care.

His areas of interest include cross-cultural study of social welfare, values and practices of parent care, and social welfare administration.

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Sung, Kt., Kim, H.S. Elder respect among young adults: Exploration of behavioral forms in Korea. Ageing International 28, 279–294 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-002-1008-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12126-002-1008-y

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