The psychology of initiation rites and territorialism
Published: 19 Feb. 2025, 00:01
The author is a professor of psychology at Hallym University.
In March, university campuses come alive with new students. When I was a first year student, there was an initiation event under the guise of a welcome party. While it generally involved introducing oneself to senior students and performing lighthearted talent shows, some groups went as far as excessive drinking and even physical violence.
Harsh initiation rites have existed across cultures and eras. In Korea’s past, newcomers at Sungkyunkwan University underwent myeonshinye — a form of hazing that included punishments such as having their faces scribbled on with a brush or being forced to drink dirty water. Western societies also practice hazing, often involving excessive alcohol consumption or making new members wear bizarre outfits and parade through the streets.
At its core, initiation rites serve to reinforce the authority of senior members and solidify hierarchical structures. The stricter the control over newcomers, the more senior members experience a sense of self-efficacy. The mindset of “I endured this, so you must too” often plays a role in perpetuating these practices.
Despite their problematic nature, some initiation rites are observed to have positive effects. The more grueling the initiation, the stronger the newcomers’ sense of belonging and pride in their group. Psychology explains this through the concept of effort justification, where individuals place greater value on experiences for which they have endured hardship or exerted significant effort. However, when rites become excessively coercive, they tend to backfire, fostering resentment instead of solidarity.
If initiation rites extend beyond welcoming new members and turn into prolonged workplace bullying, they become a serious issue. Some analyses suggest that this reflects deeper organizational problems. Workplaces with high psychological safety tend to have weaker territorial cultures, whereas those with poor working conditions, high stress and insecurity exhibit stronger territorial behavior.
Recently, I read about the tragic suicide of a television broadcaster, with workplace bullying cited as a primary cause. While I do not know the specifics of what transpired, hierarchical abuse within an organization is more than just an issue of individual personalities or isolated group culture. It is a manifestation of systemic dysfunction within the organization — a serious problem unfairly burdened onto a single individual, culminating in a tragic outcome.
Translated using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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