본 연구의 목적은 타인의 얼굴표정을 모방하도록 처치하는 것이 초등학생의 정서적 공감 수준과 특정 상황에 대한 태도에 어떤 영향을 미치는지를 알아보고자 함이다. 이를 최근에 학교 현장에서 문제가 되는 학교폭력 문제에 적용하여 얼굴표정 모방처치를 받은 초등학생이 통제집단에 비하여 정서적 공감 수준이 더 높은지, 그리고 또래폭력 허용도가 더 낮은지 알아보았다. 연구 참여자는 서울시 소재의 한 초등학교에 다니는 5, 6학년 학생 65명(남자 29명, 여자 36명)으로, 이들은 얼굴표정 모방처치를 받는 실험집단과 처치를 받지 않는 통제 집단으로 무선 배정되었다. 실험집단은 거울을 사용해서 또래폭력 피해자의 얼굴표정을 따라하는 처치를 받았고, 통제집단은 인지적인 질문에 대한 답을 찾는 과제를 수행하였다. 분석을 위하여 첫째, 처치를 실시하기 전 부정정서경험과 또래폭력허용도의 사전점수를 측정하여 두 집단 간에 차이가 존재하는지 독립표본 t검정을 통해 확인하였다. 둘째, 처치가 끝난 뒤 부정정서경험과 또래폭력 허용도의 사후점수를 측정하여 두 집단 간 차이가 있는지 독립표본 t검정을 통해 분석하였다. 연구 결과, 얼굴표정 모방처치를 받은 초등학생 집단은 통제집단과 비교하였을 때 정서적 공감 수준이 더 높았다. 또한 얼굴표정 모방처치를 받은 초등학생집단은 통제집단과 비교하였을 때 또래폭력에 대한 허용도가 더 낮았다.

The purpose of this study is to verify the effects of facial expression mimicry on elementary school students’ emotional empathy level and attitude toward certain situation. Specifically, this study examined if the elementary school students who mimicked facial expression had a higher emotional empathy level and lower permissive attitude toward bullying than those who did not mimic because school bullying is a serious problem in schools these days. 65 elementary school students (29 boys, 36 girls) participated in this study. They were 5th and 6th grade students of the same school in Seoul, and they were randomly assigned into two groups: experimental group which received facial expression mimicry treatment and control group which did not receive the treatment. The experimental group was asked to mimic the facial expression of a student who was bullied with a hand mirror; on the other hand, the control group was asked to find an answer of a cognitive question instead of actual mimicking opportunity. Data analysis was performed as follows: first, independent sample t test was performed to identify if there were any significant differences between two groups before they received the treatment by measuring pre-scores of negative affect and permissive attitude toward bullying. Second, another independent sample t test was performed to identify if there were any differences between two groups after they received the assigned treatment by measuring post-scores of negative affect and permissive attitude toward bullying. As a result, elementary school students who received the facial expression mimicry treatment displayed a higher rate in emotional empathy level than those in the control group. Also, elementary school students who received facial expression mimicry treatment had a lower rate in permissive attitude level toward bullying than those in the control group.