온라인 담론에서의 ‘가스라이팅’ 용어 사용 양상 분석

초록

This study examined how the term gaslighting is used in online discourse and whether patterns of gaslighting experiences differ by the relationship type between perpetrator and victim. A total of 4,826 posts containing the term gaslighting were collected from Naver Knowledge iN, a major Korean Q&A platform, from 2020 to 2024. Posts were categorized into experiential narratives(intimate partner, family, friend, other, and ambiguous relationships) and informational inquiries(definitions, characteristics, identification, coping strategies, comparisons, and other questions). Using TEXTOM and Python 3.9, frequency analysis and network-based clustering analysis were conducted. In intimate partner contexts, gaslighting frequently appeared in romantic or marital conflicts, often involving issues such as alcohol use, finances, or infidelity. Posts about family relationships included themes of domestic conflict, emotional distance and lack of understanding, and academic pressure, while those about friendships focused on interpersonal conflict, social exclusion, and differences in communication styles. The findings indicate that the public uses online platforms to share experiences and seek information about gaslighting. Notably, gaslighting is often portrayed as relatively mild manipulation or minor interpersonal conflict, suggesting a gap between public perceptions and academic definitions. These results underscore the need to refine the conceptual boundaries of gaslighting based on relationship-specific dynamics and to bridge scholarly and public understandings of the term.

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