한국인의 남성심리와 목회상담

Psychology of Korean Masculinities and Its Implications on Pastoral Counseling

This study was conducted to draw implications from the field of psychology of Korean masculinities that could be used to improve pastoral counseling for adult males in Korea. For this purpose, a survey was taken on dozens of adult males in Korea and general practices and ethnographic observations were made. Then, theories of psychology of masculinities were examined in terms of its history, goals, as well as implications for pastoral counseling. The key implications in the area of psychology of Korean masculinities for pastoral counseling are as follows: 1) Korean male identity in general is shaped by Korean culture which focuses on confucian-authoritarian cultural icons as models of masculinity. 2) As a result, Korean males grow up mirroring overblown myths of manhood and constantly overcompensating for their loss of a true role model, leaving them unprepared for family life. 3) Korean pastoral counselors for Korean male adults must focus on moving them past proving their masculinity and on to a stage of cooperation with other Korean male adults, striving with rather than against their mates, achieving equality and intimacy in the process. 4) Korean pastoral counselors must help Korean male adults as they experience parenthood and undergo the process of understanding and forgiving their own parents. In conclusion, a significant shift in the pastoral care context is suggested, a change in paradigm and practice from the male-centered context to a more human-centered context. The study also offers a new approach to issues of commitment, caring, and control, creating a positive model to follow for the fathers of tomorrow s Korean men.