TITLE:
Defense Mechanism and Optimism in Korean College Students
AUTHORS:
Eun-Joo Hong, Hyo-Eun Kim, Jin-Kyung Kim
KEYWORDS:
Korean College Student, Optimism, Defense Mechanism
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.2 No.11,
November
24,
2014
ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to
illustrate the relationship between optimism and defense mechanism in Korean college
students. 332 student participants from “A” University in Korea completed
questionnaires from the Ewah defense mechanism and optimism measurement tool.
This study analyzed the culled data and revealed general patterns of optimism
and defense mechanism, as well as patterns based on gender. In addition, the
study analyzed differences in defense mechanism, dictated by one’s optimism
level. Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test were
analyzed using SPSS 21.0. The results demonstrated that the operating defense mechanism
in Korean college students were different for males and females in the categories
of show-off, passive aggressive, denial, and identification. However, the level
of optimism was identical for both genders. Defensive mechanisms based on
optimism levels also varied significantly in controlling, distortion, altruism,
humor, sublimation, and rationalization categories.