Search Results (32)

This study is one of the first empirical attempts to quantify the social benefit of virtual power plants (VPPs) in South Korea using the contingent valuation method (CVM). As Korea pursues its ambitious carbon neutrality goal by 2050, VPPs have emerged as a critical technology for managing the intermittency of renewable energy sources and ensuring grid stability. Despite their recognized technical potential, the social and economic value of VPPs remains largely unexplored. Through a nationwide survey of 1105 households, we employed a double-bounded dichotomous choice spike model to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) for government-led VPP implementation. The analysis revealed two distinct dimensions influencing VPP valuation: electricity bill perceptions and electricity generation mix preferences. Results indicated that Korean households exhibited significant but heterogeneous WTP for VPP implementation, with unconditional mean annual WTP ranging from KRW 23,474 to KRW 26,545 per household. Notably, support for renewable energy transition showed stronger positive effects on WTP compared to nuclear expansion preferences, suggesting VPPs are primarily valued as renewable energy enablers. The substantial spike probability (32–34%) indicated that approximately one-third of the population has zero WTP, highlighting challenges in introducing novel energy technologies. Key determinants of positive WTP included perceived fairness of electricity pricing, support for market-based mechanisms, and preferences for transitioning from coal and nuclear to renewables. These findings provide critical policy insights for VPP deployment strategies, suggesting the need for phased implementation, targeted communication emphasizing renewable integration benefits, and coordination with broader electricity market reforms. The study contributes to energy transition economics literature by demonstrating how public preferences for emerging grid technologies are shaped by both economic considerations and environmental values. Full article

Cyberbullying has emerged as a prominent social issue in recent years, affecting individuals across various age groups, including college students. This study aims to shed light on cyberbullying behaviors among American and Korean college students, drawing on the lenses of social learning theory and general strain theory as theoretical frameworks. Two survey data sets of 1067 college students (686 from South Korea and 381 from the U.S.) revealed that the social learning variable of definitions was the key predictor of cyberbullying behaviors for American students, while differential association was the significant predictor for Korean students. General strain variables were found to be not strong predictors of cyberbullying behaviors for American students, while these variables were significant predictors for Korean students. The differences between two college student populations in terms of the effects of theoretical factors on cyberbullying behaviors suggests the necessity of diverse approaches toward cyberbullying preventive strategies. Full article

The South Korean AI market has grown significantly, yet while chatbot adoption is well-studied, sustained use remains underexplored. This study surveyed 250 financial institution chatbot users in South Korea in February 2024, using SPSS and R to investigate quality effects on intention of continuous usage. Results showed that social presence, response accuracy, assurance, and interactivity positively influenced expectation confirmation. In contrast, responsiveness, reliability, and usability had no significant effect, while security negatively impacted frequent users, reflecting trust concerns. These findings guide financial institutions in enhancing chatbot retention through interactivity and trust. Conducted in a pre-generative AI context, this study suggests future longitudinal research to address evolving AI technologies and user behaviors. Full article

This study explores the relationship between forest culture (FC) and sustainable consumption by applying the means-end chain (MEC) theory. Compared with general products, FC products are consumed from a value consumption perspective, and their benefits have varying impacts on individuals and society. This study uses MEC theory to link the preferred attributes of FC with the expected benefits and pursued values (PVs) of FC. We (1) identified the indicators of the expected benefits of PVs and preferred activities (PAs) of FC through factor analysis, (2) examined the relationships between these factors using MEC theory, and (3) validated the factors through structural equation modeling (SEM). We surveyed 1700 Koreans to explore how FC benefits, values, and activities relate to consumer behavior. Factor analysis divided PVs into symbolic, social, and consumption values and PAs into tourism–exploration, cultural–artistic, and living–leisure activities of FC. According to SEM analysis, the contributing characteristics of FC affect the PVs and, in turn, the PAs of FC, yielding an acceptable model fit (GFI > 0.9). Thus, the concrete attitudes of consumers toward FC were categorized via abstract concepts, which influenced their practical and behavioral attitudes. In conclusion, FC products should be developed with a focus on value consumption. Full article

Recently, dealing with environmental issues has emerged as a critical part of various corporate social responsibility activities. To effectively address the environmental problems along with their generic purposes of increasing competitive advantages, firms pay attention to environmental innovation. Despite the growing importance of environmental innovation for achieving competitive advantages, there remains a significant gap in understanding how firms actually accomplish this innovation. This study aims to fill this gap by leveraging Teece’s theoretical framework to identify three key components of dynamic capabilities—sensing, seizing, and reconfiguring—that facilitate the development of an effective managerial system. Specifically, this study proposes that sensing and seizing guide a firm to correctly respond to the external requests of dealing with the environmental problems so that the firm may incorporate the external pressure in the environmental innovation outcomes, while reconfiguring leads directly to the realization of environmental innovation. Using a Korean Innovation Survey that includes direct questions about environmental innovation, we construct a structural equation model, PLS-SEM, to test our hypotheses, and the findings support all the hypotheses. The contributions and managerial implications are discussed based on the findings, and some limitations in methodology are also addressed. Full article

This study examined the differences in perceived stress, subjective well-being, psychosocial variables, and differences in parents’ parenting styles according to game use type among Korean adults. The study involved 300 participants in their 20s and 30s, a demographic typically associated with frequent gaming. Data were collected through an online survey company, and analyses were conducted using SPSS 25.0, including correlation, cluster, ANOVA, and correspondence analyses. The results showed that the general and adaptive game use groups had significantly lower levels of perceived stress than the maladaptive and risky game use groups. Additionally, the adaptive game use group exhibited significantly higher subjective well-being than the maladaptive game use group. In terms of psychosocial characteristics, except for the general game use group, none of the other groups considered online gaming as addictive. Parenting styles showed significant differences in relation to game use in adulthood. Notably, democratic parenting styles were associated with the general and adaptive game use groups, whereas neglectful parenting styles were linked to the risky game use group. These findings suggest that the risky game use group is as vulnerable to stress as the maladaptive game use group, emphasizing the need for targeted screening and social attention for the risky game use group. Full article

This study addresses the academic gap in the adoption of generative AI systems by investigating the factors influencing technology acceptance and usage behavior in Korean firms. Although recent advancements in AI are accelerating digital transformation and innovation, empirical research on the adoption of these systems remains scarce. To fill this gap, this study applies the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, surveying 300 employees from both large and small enterprises in South Korea. The findings reveal that effort expectancy and social influence significantly influence employees’ behavioral intention to use generative AI systems. Specifically, effort expectancy plays a critical role in the early stages of adoption, while social influence, including support from supervisors and peers, strongly drives the adoption process. In contrast, performance expectancy and facilitating conditions show no significant impact. The study also highlights the differential effects of age and work experience on behavioral intention and usage behavior. For older employees, social support is a key factor in technology acceptance, whereas employees with more experience exhibit a more positive attitude toward adopting new technologies. Conversely, facilitating conditions are more critical for younger employees. This study contributes to the understanding of the interaction between various factors in AI technology adoption and offers strategic insights for the successful implementation of AI systems in Korean companies. Full article

Combining Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, value–belief–norm theory, and social exchange theory, this study explores the impact of individualism and social cohesion on pro-environmental behavior (PEB) as well as the moderating role of social cohesion in the individualism–PEB link in the context of Korean society. Using the 2021 Korean General Social Survey and multiple linear regression analyses, we found that individualism is negatively related to PEB, whereas social cohesion is positively related to PEB. Further analysis showed that social cohesion attenuates the negative relationship between individualism and PEB. Our findings suggest that although individuals with high levels of individualism are less likely to perform PEB than those with a high level of collectivism, social cohesion is a valuable community resource that encourages them to engage in eco-friendly activities even when they seek to achieve person-oriented goals and pursue their own interests. The implications and contributions of these findings regarding environmental psychology are discussed. Full article

We aimed to identify the characteristics of the changes in the buildings and alleyways in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, where low-rise, residential buildings are being renovated or repurposed into commercial buildings, as well as to investigate their renovations, repurposes, and sociocultural implications. Thus, we surveyed and classified 149 renovated buildings, investigated the perceptions and ambiance of the area and buildings using a trade area analysis and interviews with visitors and store owners, and uncovered the importance of renovation. Since the early gentrification, a trend of performing renovations that retained the original form of the building from the initial renovation stage was seen; this created an ambiance of nostalgia, naturalness, and authenticity, along with the urban conditions of low-rise, residential buildings in Yeonnam-dong, a representative undeveloped area. These renovated buildings reflect the social status, taste, and practice of gentrifiers, and they reveal a hybridization of the past and present, Korean circumstances and exotic cultures, and residential and commercial buildings. As commercialization progressed, renovated buildings vastly differing from the original and displaying active commercial characteristics were seen. Our findings imply that the area’s early ambiance, which had an air of “distinctiveness”, has lost its personality and begun to generalize. Thus, numerous gentrifiers have been replaced and several aspects of renovation have changed that the visitors are aware of. Full article

Objective: This study aimed to explore the associations between smartphone overdependence (smartphone addiction) and suicidal ideation and attempts among Korean adolescents to acknowledge the risk of smartphone overuse. Methods: Data were obtained from the results of the 2020 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey. Smartphone addiction was categorized into three groups: adolescents who scored less than 23 were categorized as the general user group and formed the reference, those with scores of 23–30 were categorized as the potential-risk user group, and those with scores higher than 31 were categorized under the high-risk user group. Suicidal ideation and suicide attempt were identified as dependent variables in the present study. Multiple logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between SA and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt status among Korean adolescents. Results: This study included 41,173 general users of smartphones, 12,142 potential-risk users, and 1633 high-risk users from among 54,948 adolescents who were middle- and high-school students. Adolescents with potentially risky smartphone use showed a higher likelihood of suicidal ideation (OR: 1.50, CI: 1.42–1.60). Similarly, adolescents with high-risk smartphone use showed a significant risk of suicidal ideation (OR: 2.49, CI: 2.21–2.81) and suicide attempt (OR: 1.87, CI: 1.48–2.37) compared to the adolescents who were general users. Conclusion: Our study results encourage parents and social workers to acknowledge that adolescents’ smartphone addiction leads to a higher risk to their mental health, wherein they may engage in suicidal ideation and even resort to a suicide attempt. Full article

This study was conducted using data from the Korea Medical Panel Survey (KMPS) carried out in 2015. Importantly, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Korean medicine (KM) and Western medicine (WM) in medical service use. The general characteristics and the frequency of utilization of medical services were analyzed for 18,130 participants. Chi-square analysis was used to examine the factors that affected medical service use. Additionally, logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the odds ratio (OR) between the KM Use with WM Use and KM&WM Use with disease group. The proportion of respondents who used KM&WM was the highest among those over 65 years of age and it was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001). The OR for using KM and WM was 3.236 and it was also statistically significant (p < 0.001). Further, the ORs of KM&WM Use for all seven disease groups were greater than 1 and were statistically significant (p < 0.001) except for respiratory disease. The significant ORs of KM&WM Use were 10.342 (musculoskeletal), 2.073 (exogenous causes), 1.988 (nervous), 1.677 (digestive), 1.541 (circulatory) and 1.386 (skin). The findings in this study were attributed to a combination of social aspects such as the increasing incidence of chronic diseases among the elderly population, policy aspects such as the collaborative pilot project to promote collaborative treatment (CT), economic aspects, such as a lower total cost for CT and scientific aspects such as evidence supporting the efficacy of CT. Full article

Although an increasing number of people are getting vaccinated for COVID-19 and quarantine policies are easing owing to fatigue from high-intensity social distancing, people’s fear remains. This study attempted to determine the appropriateness of quarantine policies that are gradually easing by comparing and analyzing sports participation and respiratory infection perception recognized by sports participants according to vaccination status. Data were collected from 302 ordinary Korean citizens aged 20 or older for three months from November 2021 in the Republic of Korea. From the survey respondents, data on the main factors of this study included (a) demographic information, (b) vaccination, (c) loyalty in sports, (d) behavioral intention to participate in sports, (e) infection anxiety from others, and (f) risk perception of COVID-19. As a result, the survey respondents, subdivided into an unvaccinated group (Group 1) and a vaccinated group (Group 2), derived statistically significant results on sports participation and respiratory infection perception. Specifically, survey participants who had completed all secondary vaccinations showed a relatively higher (a) loyalty in sport (M = 3.789), (b) behavioral intention for participation in sport (M = 4.056), and (c) infection anxiety from others (M = 3.548), but showed a relatively lower (a) risk perception of COVID-19 (sensitivity) (M = 3.494). The results of this study could be utilized as valuable data to minimize the gap between the relaxation of government quarantine policy and perceptions of COVID-19 among the general public in sports, which have not yet been clarified. Full article

Thoughts travel faster and farther through cyberspace where people interact with one another regardless of limitations in language, space, and time. Is a poll sufficient to measure people’s opinions in this era of hyperconnectivity? This study introduces a deep learning method to measure online public opinion. By analyzing Korean texts from Twitter, this study generates time-series data on online sentiment toward the South Korean president, comparing it to traditional presidential approval to demonstrate the independence of the masses’ online discourse. The study tests different algorithms and deploys the model with high accuracy and advancement. The analysis suggests that online public opinion represents a unique population as opposed to offline surveys. The study model examines Korean texts generated by online users and automatically predicts their sentiments, which translate into group attitudes by aggregation. The research method can extend to other studies, including those on environmental and cultural issues, which have greater online presence. This provides opportunities to examine the influences of social phenomenon, benefiting individuals seeking to understand people in an online context. Moreover, it helps scholars in analyzing those public opinions—online or offline—that are more important in their decision making to assess the practicality of the methods. Full article

Environmental degradation in recent years has been threatening not only environmental sustainability but also human viability. To counter these threats, this study focuses on whether civic morality is associated with taxation for environmental protection (green taxation) and with higher pricing for environmental protection (green pricing) and whether the relationship between civic morality and green taxation, as well as that between civic morality and green pricing, is moderated by individuals’ perceptions of their own political participation. Employing the 2014 Korean General Social Survey and an ordered probit model, the study finds that civic morality is positively associated with green pricing and green taxation. Moreover, the positive relationship between civic morality and green pricing, as well as between civic morality and green taxation, is further strengthened when individuals’ perceptions of their own political participation are strong. Full article

Since Koreans do not consider Confucianism to be part of religion, conventional religious identification questions cannot accurately capture the number of Confucians in Korea. Using the Korean General Social Survey and other data sources, we aim to describe the identification, beliefs, and practices related to Confucianism, especially ancestral rituals, and to examine whether these beliefs and practices differ across religious groups. Contrasted with 0.2% of the adult population identifying their religion as Confucianism in the 2015 Korean Census, 51% considered themselves as Confucians when asked, “(Regardless of your religious affiliation) do you consider yourself a Confucian?” If we consider those who think that rites for deceased family members are Confucian, the proportion was 44%. Considering those who conduct ancestral rites at a gravesite as Confucians, the proportion was 86%, but was only 70% when we count those who perform ancestral rites at home as Confucians. We also found substantial differences among religious groups. In general, Buddhists were most likely and Protestants were least likely to identify with Confucianism, believe in the power of ancestors, and perform ancestral rites. Perhaps most telling is the result of religious none falling in the middle between Buddhists and Protestants in terms of identification, beliefs, and rituals of Confucianism. The differences of religious groups appear to reflect religious syncretism and the exclusivity of religion. It is overstating to declare a revival of Confucianism, but it is reasonable to say that Confucianism is not a dying tradition in Korean society. Full article