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KMID : 0895919990010010042
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Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing
1999 Volume.1 No. 1 p.42 ~ p.71
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An Ethnography of Succession of Caring Behaviors for the Elderly
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Cho Myung-Ok
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Abstract
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Culture is the patterns of and for human behaviors, and defined norms and rules for the society. Caring behaviors are based on social rules, and they are a cultural phenomenon. Culture has several characteristics, that are learned by socialization, shared with member of society, passed on from era to era. Culture is a dynamic process, that is changing by diffusion of other cultural traits, invention or discovery of new cultural traits, and abandonment of inadequate traits and replacement by more suitable ones. Caring, as a cultural trait, is also changing along with these process. The purpose of this cultural process is social equilibrium and human survival. Nursing is a caring. So, caring as a culture, is an essential component of human life and nursing practice.
Caring is composed of two systems, which are folk and professional caring. The quality of nursing care depends on the harmonious relationship of these two
* Associate professor, University of Dongeui, Department of Nursing
systems.
This study is aimed at making a description of the regulating rules for succession of folk caring behaviors for the elderly. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in a agricultural clan in Namwon city, from Jan. 1990 to Feb. 1997. The key informants were 12 elderly individuals. Research data were composed of sociocultural context, re-search information, and basic data. These data were collected using participation as observer techniques and ethnographic interviews of Spradley. The data were analysed by use of the taxonomic technique, flow and decision, and proxemics. Caring behaviors for the elderly are learned and passed on by several rules and reinforcement techniques. The desirable behaviors were reinforced by the acknowledgement of caring behaviors and personal or familial dignity using praise and award. The undesirable caring behaviors were controlled with social pressure, cynical expression, extending social and physical distance, excluding person from the village community life, severing kinship, and expelling the family from the village. These rewards and punishments were carried out collectively by all of residents, and the effects were extended from actor to his family, ancestors and descendents. The basic ideas which ruled out these behaviors were : reciprocal retribution, hierarchial, cohesiveness. Results of this study could be a basis for culturecare practice and theory for gerontological nursing. Comparative ethnographic research in the modern urban community would be made more useful knowledge for gerontological nursing.
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KEYWORD
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Caring, Elderly
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