Z세대 청년의 온라인 대인관계에 관한 경험 연구

국문 초록 (Abstract)

본 연구는 Z세대 청년이 온라인 대인관계에서 어떠한 경험을 하고, 그 경험
의 의미를 분석하는 데 목적이 있다. 이를 위해 1995년에서 2005년 사이에 출
생한 Z세대 청년 13명을 목적적 표집과 눈덩이 표집을 통해 선정하고,
Colaizzi의 현상학적 방법에 따라 1~2회에 걸쳐 진행한 개별 심층 면담 자료를
질적으로 분석하였다. 수집된 자료는 구성 의미 99개, 주제 31개, 주제군 13개
로 도출되었다. 본 연구의 주제군은 '단절에 대한 불안 속에서 온라인 관계를
붙잡음', '부족함을 느낄 때마다 순간의 위안을 찾음', '버거운 일상을 피해 잠
시 숨을 돌림', '내가 원할 때, 원하는 사람과만 관계함', '더 깊이 들어가지 않
고 필요한 만큼만 연결됨', '서로의 감정에 얽히지 않으려 조심스럽게 거리를
둠', '대화 없는 관찰과 가벼운 반응이 안정감을 줌', '상처받지 않기 위해 포
장된 모습으로 관계함', '사회적 책임에서 벗어나 정서적 해방감을 느낌', '상
실과 소외를 피하려던 공간이 다시 상처의 장이 됨', '타인과 연결 속에서 나
의 존재를 확인함', ''나'다움이 타인을 따라가고 있음을 알아차림', '온라인 관
계 방식에 대한 자기 성찰을 경험함'으로 나타났다. 도출된 주제군을 바탕으로
연구 결과를 살펴보면 다음과 같다.
첫째, 연구 참여자들은 상실과 단절에 대한 두려움 속에서 온라인 관계를
통한 연결을 갈망하고 있었다. 이들은 뒤처지거나 주변화되는 것에 대한 불안,
관계에서의 상실과 실패에 대한 두려움으로 인해 익명성과 가벼움이 보장되는
안전한 관계를 추구하였다. 또한 현실에서의 결핍과 불안을 해소하고자 온라
인 관계에서 일시적 위안을 찾았으며, 버거운 일상의 압박으로부터 도피하여
잠시 숨을 돌리는 공간으로 온라인을 활용하였다.
둘째, 참여자들은 관계를 맺는 과정에서 자기결정권과 통제감을 중시하며,
효율과 목적 중심의 선택적 관계를 형성하였다. 이들은 자신의 취향과 기준에
맞는 관계만을 선택하고, 불편함이 감지되면 손쉽게 단절하였으며, 관계의 깊
이보다는 편의와 효율을 우선시하였다. 또한 서로에게 부담을 주는 것을 피하
기 위해 감정을 가볍게 다루고, 타인의 부정적 감정으로부터 자신을 보호하려
는 감정적 거리두기를 보였다.
셋째, 참여자들은 직접적인 대화보다 타인의 일상을 관찰하거나 좋아요, 댓
글, 이모티콘 같은 간단한 반응을 주고받는 것만으로도 충분한 소통감과 친밀
감을 느꼈다. 이러한 가벼운 상호작용은 대화에 수반되는 감정적 에너지 소모
와 불확실성의 위험을 회피하는 방어적 전략으로 기능하였다. 또한 이들은 상
처받지 않기 위해 자신의 취약함을 숨기고 포장된 모습으로 관계를 맺었으며,
책임과 의무에서 벗어난 자유로움 속에서 억눌린 감정을 표출하며 카타르시스
를 경험하였다.
넷째, 참여자들은 소외와 불안을 피해 선택한 온라인 관계 속에서 또다시
공허함과 불안을 경험하였다. 처음에는 좋았던 위로와 자유가 시간이 지나면
서 허무해졌고, 타인과의 비교를 통해 좌절과 무력감을 반복적으로 경험하였
다. 또한 타인의 반응을 통해 존재감을 확인하려 했으나, 이는 오히려 외부 평
가에 대한 의존을 강화하였다.
다섯째, 참여자들은 자신이 추구하던 개성이 사실은 타인의 시선을 의식하
고 모방하는 것이었음을 자각하게 되었다. 또한 대화의 매개체가 없으면 소통
이 어렵다는 사실, 깊은 관계 경험의 부족으로 감정 교류의 중요성을 몰랐다
는 점 등 자신의 관계적 미성숙을 인식하게 되었다. 이러한 성찰은 성장하고
싶은 욕구로 이어졌으나, 불편함을 견디는 내성 부족과 진정한 관계에 대한
경험 결여로 인해 다음 단계로 나아가지 못하는 딜레마에 직면하였다.
본 연구에서 Z세대 청년의 온라인 대인관계 경험의 본질은 '연결에 대한 갈
망과 상처에 대한 두려움이 만들어내는 역설적 긴장 속에서, 자기보호를 위해
편의적이고 통제 가능한 관계에 머물면서도 진정한 친밀감의 결핍을 반복적으
로 경험하는 순환 구조'로 나타났다. 이들은 '연결되어 있지만 고립된, 자유롭
지만 구속된, 보이지만 이해받지 못하는' 모순적 실존 속에서 관계적 미성숙을
자각하면서도 변화의 방향을 찾지 못하고 흔들리고 있었다.
본 연구의 의의는 첫째, 기존 연구가 온라인 관계를 기능적·표면적 차원에
서 다루었던 한계를 넘어, Z세대 청년이 실제로 경험하는 온라인 대인관계의
심리적 의미와 본질적 구조를 심층적으로 기술하였다는 점이다. 둘째, Z세대
청년의 온라인 대인관계 패턴이 개인의 특성이라기보다 경쟁과 불안이 일상화
된 사회 구조 속에서 형성된 적응 방식임을 밝힘으로써, 상담 현장에서 디지
털 세대 내담자를 이해하고 개입하는 데 필요한 맥락적 기초를 제공하였다는
데 의의가 있다. 셋째, 본 연구는 Z세대 청년 내담자를 위한 상담적 접근으로
서 세대적·문화적 맥락에 대한 이해, 교정적 관계 경험의 제공, 내적 역량 강
화와 관계적 성장 지원이라는 실천적 방향을 제시하였으며, 향후 Z세대 청년
을 위한 상담, 교육, 정책 개발에 활용될 수 있는 기초 자료를 제공하였다는
점에서 의의를 갖는다.
주제어: Z세대 청년, 온라인 대인관계, 현상학적 연구

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

A Study on Generation Z Young Adults’ Experiences of
Online Interpersonal Relationships
Hyun Jung Lee
Department of Counseling
Graduate School of Baekseok University
The purpose of this study is to explore what Generation Z young adults
experience in online interpersonal relationships and to analyze the meaning
of these experiences. For this purpose, 13 Generation Z young adults born
between 1995 and 2005 were selected through purposive sampling and
snowball sampling, and the data collected from one to two in-depth
individual interviews were qualitatively analyzed according to Colaizzi's
phenomenological method. From the collected data, 99 formulated meanings,
31 themes, and 13 theme clusters were derived. The theme clusters of this
study were: 'holding onto online relationships amid anxiety about
disconnection,' 'seeking momentary comfort whenever feeling inadequate,'
'taking a breath away from overwhelming daily life,' 'relating only when I
want and only with whom I want,' 'connecting only as much as needed
without going deeper,' 'carefully maintaining distance to avoid being
entangled in each other's emotions,' 'finding stability in observation without
conversation and light responses,' 'relating through a packaged self to avoid
being hurt,' 'feeling emotional liberation free from social responsibility,' 'the
space meant to escape loss and isolation becomes a place of hurt again,'
'confirming my existence through connection with others,' 'realizing that my
authenticity has been following others,' and 'experiencing self-reflection on
online relationship patterns.' Based on the derived theme clusters, the
research findings are as follows.
First,
research participants longed for connection through online
relationships amid fear of loss and disconnection. Due to anxiety about falling
behind or being marginalized, and fear of loss and failure in relationships,
they pursued safe relationships guaranteed by anonymity and lightness. They
also sought temporary comfort in online relationships to resolve deficiencies
and anxieties in reality, and used online spaces as a refuge to briefly escape
from the pressures of overwhelming daily life.
Second, participants emphasized self-determination and a sense of control
in forming relationships, establishing selective relationships centered on
efficiency and purpose. They selected only relationships that matched their
preferences and standards, easily disconnected when discomfort was detected,
and prioritized convenience and efficiency over depth of relationships. They
also handled emotions lightly to avoid burdening each other and showed
emotional distancing to protect themselves from others' negative emotions.
Third, participants felt sufficient sense of communication and intimacy
through observing others' daily lives or exchanging simple responses such as
likes, comments, and emoticons rather than direct conversation. Such light
interactions functioned as defensive strategies to avoid the emotional energy
expenditure and risks of uncertainty accompanying conversation. They also
related through a packaged self, hiding their vulnerabilities to avoid being
hurt, and experienced catharsis by expressing suppressed emotions in the
freedom from responsibility and obligation.
Fourth, participants experienced emptiness and anxiety again in online
relationships they had chosen to escape alienation and anxiety. The comfort
and freedom that initially felt good became hollow over time, and they
repeatedly experienced frustration and helplessness through comparison with
others. Although they tried to confirm their existence through others'
responses, this rather strengthened their dependence on external evaluation.
Fifth, participants came to realize that the individuality they had pursued
was actually conscious of others' gazes and imitation. They also recognized
their relational immaturity, including the fact that communication was difficult
without mediating topics and that they did not know the importance of
emotional exchange due to lack of deep relationship experiences. This
reflection led to a desire for growth, but they faced a dilemma of being
unable to move to the next stage due to insufficient tolerance for discomfort
and lack of experience with genuine relationships.
In this study, the essence of Generation Z young adults' online
interpersonal relationship experiences emerged as 'a cyclical structure in
which they repeatedly experience a lack of genuine intimacy while remaining
in convenient and controllable relationships for self-protection, amid the
paradoxical tension created by the longing for connection and fear of being
hurt.' They were wavering in a contradictory existence of being 'connected
yet isolated, free yet constrained, visible yet misunderstood,' aware of their
relational immaturity yet unable to find the direction for change.
The significance of this study is as follows. First, it deeply described the
psychological meaning and essential structure of online interpersonal
relationships actually experienced by Generation Z, going beyond the
limitations of previous research that addressed online relationships at
functional and superficial levels. Second, by revealing that Generation Z's
online interpersonal relationship patterns are adaptive strategies formed
within a social structure where competition and anxiety have become routine
rather than individual characteristics, this study provided a contextual
foundation necessary for understanding and intervening with digital
generation clients in counseling settings. Third, this study presented practical
directions for counseling approaches for Generation Z clients, including
understanding generational and cultural contexts, providing corrective
relational experiences, and supporting internal capacity building and relational
growth, and is significant in providing foundational data that can be utilized
for future counseling, education, and policy development for Generation Z.
Keywords: Generation Z, online interpersonal relationships, phenomenological
study, Colaizzi, digital native

목차 (Table of Contents)

• 국문초록··························································································································ⅳ
• Ⅰ. 서론·····························································································································1
• 1. 연구의 필요성 및 목적·······················································································1
• 2. 연구 문제···············································································································4
• 3. 용어의 정의 ·········································································································5
• Ⅱ. 이론적 배경···············································································································7
• 1. Z세대에 대한 이해······························································································7
• 2. 대인관계에 대한 이해·······················································································13
• 3. Z세대 청년의 온라인 대인관계에 대한 이해··············································20
• 4. 선행연구···············································································································28
• Ⅲ. 연구 방법·················································································································33
• 1. 현상학적 연구방법·····························································································33
• 2. 연구 참여자 ·······································································································35
• 3. 자료 수집 방법 및 절차···················································································46
• 4. 연구 과정의 평가·······························································································50
• 5. 연구 참여자에 대한 윤리적 보호 ·································································52
• Ⅳ. 연구 결과·················································································································54
• 1. 참여자 진술을 통한 분석 결과····································································· 61
• 2. 참여자들의 진술에 대한 현상학적 기술·······················································87
• 3. Z세대 청년의 온라인 대인관계 경험의 본질적 구조································92
• Ⅴ. 논의···························································································································94
• 1. Z세대 청년의 온라인 대인관계 경험····························································94
• 2. Z세대 청년의 온라인 대인관계 경험의 의미············································101
• Ⅵ. 결론 및 제언·········································································································106
• 1. 요약 및 결론·····································································································106
• 2. 상담학에서의 실천적 함의·············································································107
• 3. 연구의 성과와 의의·························································································109
• 4. 연구의 한계와 제언·························································································111
• 참고문헌························································································································114
• Abstract·························································································································134
• 부 록························································································································138