In a belief that the ethnic identity of those juveniles of both Korean and Japanese origins relies on their ethnic socialization, this study aims to clarify how specific variables related to ethnic socialization influence ethnic identity along with ho...
In a belief that the ethnic identity of those juveniles of both Korean and Japanese origins relies on their ethnic socialization, this study aims to clarify how specific variables related to ethnic socialization influence ethnic identity along with how these variables can vary according to an ethnic self-identification group, thereby devising proper measures for enhancing a sense of ethnic belonging and psychological well-being among those juveniles of Korean and Japanese origins who live in Korea. Against this backdrop, this study focuses on the following key issues: First, it takes a look at how specific variables related to ethnic socialization affect the ethnic identity of those juveniles of Korean and Japanese origins. Second, it shows how such variables related to ethnic socialization influence the ethnic identity of a single ethnic self-identification group. Third, it demonstrates the impact of such variables related to ethnic socialization on the ethnic identity of a dual ethnic self-identification group. In this context, a survey is conducted among 309 juveniles of Korean and Japanese ethnic origins, with its analyses of frequency, correlation, and hierarchical multiple regression via a SPSS 15.0 statistical package, and the resultant outcomes are summed up as follows.
First, when it comes to the impact of variables related to ethnic socialization on the ethnic identity of those juveniles of Korean and Japanese origins, their contact with Korean culture at home and parents’ preparatory education against ethnic prejudice exercise meaningful influences over their ethnic identity when those variables related to ethnic socialization at home are only applied. After additional application of other variables related to ethnic socialization within a peer group together with those variables related to ethnic socialization at home, however, their contact with Korean culture has the biggest impact on their ethnic identity, being followed by their contact with Korean friends, parents’ preparatory education against ethnic bias, and experiences of ethnic discrimination within a peer group. As for the explanatory power of ethnic socialization at home and within a peer group, the explanatory power of ethnic socialization at home accounts for 20.9%, which climbs by 6.3% after additional application of other variables related to ethnic socialization within a peer group. This clearly illustrates that ethnic socialization at home and within a peer group acts as a main factor behind their sense of ethnic belonging, and family has larger influences over their sense of ethnic belonging than a peer group.
Second, when it comes to a single ethnic self-identification group, their contact with Korean culture, parents’ preparatory education against ethnic prejudice, encouragement of distrust, and experience of ethnic discrimination plays a key role in their sense of ethnic belonging. In terms of relative explanatory power of variables related to ethnic socialization, the explanatory power of ethnic socialization at home accounts for 23.5%, which rises to 29.6% after additional application of other variables related to ethnic socialization within a peer group.
Third, when it comes to a dual ethnic self-identification group, their contact with Korean culture and encounter with Korean friends only wield influences over their sense of ethnic belonging. As for relative explanatory power of variables related to ethnic socialization, the explanatory power of ethnic socialization at home accounts for 26.0%, which goes up 5.6% to 31.6% after additional application of other variables related to ethnic socialization within a peer group.
An ethnic self-identification group of those juveniles of both Korean and Japanese origins causes a slight difference among those variables related to their ethnic socialization. Those variables related to ethnic socialization at home are important for their sense of ethnic belonging for a single ethnic self-identification group, whereas cultural socialization both at home and within a peer group serve as a significant factor for their sense of ethnic belonging for a dual ethnic self-identification group. This means that such variables related to ethnic socialization doesn’t has the same impact on their sense of ethnic belonging even if they are those juveniles of both Korean and Japanese origins.
Based upon the above results, this study’s significant implications can be summed up as follows. In theory, it takes a look at a sense of ethnic belonging felt by those juveniles of both Korean and Japanese origin who reside in Korea from the perspective of ethnic socialization, thereby demonstrating ethnic socialization’s crucial impact on their sense of ethnic belonging along with differences in those variables related to ethnic socialization according to an ethnic self-identification type. Moreover, it has practical implications for by those juveniles of both Korean and Japanese origins by proposing diversification of support programs for creating their positive sense of ethnic belonging, differentiated interference in supports for those juveniles with consideration for their ethnic self-identification, and practical interference in the development and utilization of foreign cultural capital of their parents. From a policy perspective, it underscores that the government’s future multicultural policy should give its priority to supporting both growth and development of multicultural kids. From the perspective of ethnic socialization, it suggests that the government’s policies towards stronger sense of ethnic belonging among juveniles of Korean and Japanese origins should focus on the significant role of those entities, such as parents, peer group, and school, in charge of ethnic socialization while taking into account cultural diversity along with each group’s cultural characteristics.