본문 바로가기
  • Home
Basic Search

An Analysis of the Perception Types of Multicultural Acceptance among Koreans

  • The Journal of Multicultural Society
  • 2026, 19(2), pp.311~360
  • Publisher : Research Institute of Asian Women
  • Research Area : Social Science > Social Science in general
  • Received : April 30, 2026
  • Accepted : June 5, 2026
  • Published : June 30, 2026

Eunyoung Lee 1,  Sangok park 2

1공주시가족센터
2국립공주대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study aims to explore Korean adults’ perceptions of multicultural acceptance not as a single level of attitude, but as a set of structured perception types, in the context of the accelerating transition toward a multicultural society. To this end, Q statements were developed based on the Multicultural Acceptance Diagnostic Framework (diversity, relationality, and universality) proposed by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and Q methodology was applied to a sample of 80 adult participants. The results revealed three distinct perception types of multicultural acceptance among the participants: “restrictive multicultural acceptance,” “cosmopolitan multicultural acceptance,” and “assimilation-oriented multicultural acceptance.” Among these, the restrictive type accounted for the largest proportion of explained variance, showing a tendency to partially accept the presence and rights of immigrants while maintaining a certain degree of social distance in everyday interactions. Across all types, participants generally expressed agreement with the basic rights of immigrants; however, their attitudes toward actual interpersonal engagement and social interaction tended to be more reserved. This suggests that multicultural acceptance is not a simple attitudinal construct, but rather a complex structure in which cognitive acceptance and behavioral practice do not always align. These findings are consistent with prior research that has highlighted the ambivalent nature of multicultural acceptance, while also contributing by identifying its structured typologies. In particular, the coexistence of rights recognition and relational distance can be partially interpreted through frameworks such as the social integration model, social identity theory, acculturation theory, and citizenship theory. At the same time, the findings also suggest that such perceptions may not be fully explained by a single theoretical perspective, reflecting their inherently complex nature. This study has limitations in terms of generalizability, as it is based on an exploratory approach with a specific group of participants. Nevertheless, it offers meaningful insights by demonstrating that multicultural acceptance in Korean society may take the form of coexisting and sometimes conflicting perceptions, rather than a simple dichotomy of positive or negative attitudes. The findings further suggest the need for multicultural policies to move beyond institutional support toward fostering social consensus and civic awareness. In this regard, lifelong education may serve as a practical foundation for enhancing multicultural acceptance, particularly by promoting relational experiences and participatory forms of civic education.

Statistics

  • 42 Viewed
  • 0 Downloaded

Tools

Issue List

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.

Basic Search Advanced Search