Korean Culture

By Sierra SantiagoLora Kordyshevskiy

Korean Community Comprises of about 0.6% of the US

population Or 1.7 million people

Is the 5th largest Asian American subgroup

One of the fastest growing immigrant groups

Language and Non-verbal Communication

Expressing a concern of others’ lives is considered polite (OK to ask about marriage, salary, age, and the price paid for personal belongings)

“NO” is acceptable Koreans do not touch strangers, esp

opposite sex Head houses the soul, touching it puts it in

jeopardy Don’t smile and avoid strangers

Language and Non-verbal Communication

Handshakes appropriate between men only Women do not shake hands

Highly value emotional self-control May not show they are in

pain or ask for pain medication Ask: “May I get you

something for pain?”

Perception of Illness, Disease, Medical Roles, and Responsibilities Illness and death as a natural part of life

(Buddhist/Confucian religion) Symptoms may be viewed as bad karma Health may be viewed as finding a harmony

between complimentary energies, “yin and yang” Medical decision is family focused

eldest male is often a spokesperson Ask patient whom they want to be included in

decision making If possible, engage the whole family in discussion

about health/oral care

Perception of Illness, Disease, Medical Roles, and Responsibilities

Patient may trust that family will make the best decision for them

Informed consent may be new to the patient If first time signing,

explain the purpose of it

Cultural Preferences of Treatment of Illness Young women prefer

female doctors Ask if they have a

preference

Authority Perception Interpersonal dependency

Hierarchical Use indirect speech to someone in authority

“It is somewhat cold today” Direct speech to someone with lower status

“Please, close the door” Collectivistic

call non-family members by family terms like grandfather, grandmother, uncle, aunt

Use of plural possessive form, our country vs. my country, our house vs. my house

Socioeconomic Status Exhibit highest levels of educational achievement

34% of persons 25yo and older have bachelor’s degree 1/3 have small business

Typical for newly arriving families to start small business from money saved from labor

Language barrier and culture unfamiliarity prevent them from finding an occupation in the mainstream society

1/5 engage in professional work Family yearly income:

Mean $73,895 Median $70,000

Perception of Human Relations Belief that interdependence

among family members is more important than independence. Welfare of the family is more important than that of individual members.

accept that all people need help from others many times in their lives. Example: young children, elderly, or sick family members

Parents support their children until completion of schooling. Independence is expected after schooling.

Cooperation rather than competition.

Perception of Time Koreans are considered

monochronic. A monochronic time system

means that things are done one at a time and time is segmented into precise, small units. Under this system time is scheduled, arranged and managed.

Thus, time is limited and evolving

Perception of Activity Koreans perceive activity

as being. "Being" is the preference

for the less visible and concrete, emphasizing a more reflective or theoretical orientation toward activity (respectful, unassertive & submissive).

They are very respectful and consider progress as more important than results

So no matter what result they care more about how they get to that result.

Influence of Activity and Time Orientation Communication Learning Teaching

Suggestions for Approaching this Culture as Dental Patients

Cultural differences: depends on age, ethnic group, generation, migration wave, and time away from Korea.

Understanding Norms About Eye Contact and Body Language

• Do not expect sustained direct eye contact. When you first meet your patient he or she may frequently look at you when you are not looking to become more comfortable.

• Handshakes are appropriate between men; women do not shake hands. Respect is shown to authority figures by giving a gentle bow.

Understanding Personal Space Your patient may highly value emotional self-control. May not show pain or ask for pain medications. Respect of your patient’s desire to keep emotions in

control.

REFERENCES: http://www.andrews.edu/~tidwell/bsad560/NonVerbal.html http://books.google.com/books?id=H4CsWDEi52IC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=a.

%09Differences+in+languages+and+non-verbal+communication+patterns+and+korean+culture&source=bl&ots=tDUcgcS6ud&sig=9ZMBdvqoG4CedIY0WZywL30onok&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HM2LUZ_hCYS7igKbwoBg&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=a.%09Differences%20in%20languages%20and%20non-verbal%20communication%20patterns%20and%20korean%20culture&f=false

http://kurdishkoreanfriendshipbridge.blogspot.com/2011/02/value-of-korean-family.html http://www.grin.com/en/e-book/104380/differences-in-communication-styles-between-

cultures http://depts.washington.edu/pfes/PDFs/KoreanCultureClue.pdf http://www.visualphotos.com/image/2x3916484/female_doctor_portrait https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_American http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/11755_Jackson_K_Entries.pdf http://www.calstatela.edu/centers/ckaks/publication_info/Korean_pop.pdf http://www.eidohealthcare.com/ http://www.webstockpro.com/Blend/BLD062861.Korean-businessman-looking-at-laptop-Photo

/ Joo Young =)