- Jeon, N. (2023). Swapping gender traditionalism: Christianity, Buddhism, and gender ideology in South Korea. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. [Abstract]
South Korea provides an ideal setting for studying religion and gender because Western and local religions are both prominent, and Confucianist beliefs still shape gender norms. Using the 2018 Korean General Social Survey, this study examines the extent to which two dimensions of gender traditionalism in South Korea–Confucian patriarchal ideology (i.e., belief in the subordination of women for Confucian patriarchy) and separate spheres ideology (i.e., belief that men are better suited to work and women to domestic responsibilities)—vary across Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants, and the nonaffiliated. The findings show that Christians have the lowest endorsement for Confucian patriarchal ideology while supporting separate spheres ideology as much as Buddhists, who are most gender traditional in both dimensions. The results illustrate the dynamics between religion and gender norms in South Korea's context, demonstrating how Christianity combines Western modernization with gender-essentialist traditionalism, while Buddhism maintains Confucian patriarchal values.
- Lundberg, I., Brand, J. E., & Jeon, N. (2022). Researcher reasoning meets computational capacity: Machine learning for social science. Social Science Research. [Abstract]
Computational power and big data have created new opportunities to explore and understand the social world. A special synergy is possible when social scientists combine human attention to certain aspects of the problem with the power of algorithms to automate other aspects of the problem. We review selected exemplary applications where machine learning amplifies researcher coding, summarizes complex data, relaxes statistical assumptions, and targets researcher attention to further social science research. We aim to reduce perceived barriers to machine learning by summarizing several fundamental building blocks and their grounding in classical statistics. We present a few guiding principles and promising approaches where we see particular potential for machine learning to transform social science inquiry. We conclude that machine learning tools are increasingly accessible, worthy of attention, and ready to yield new discoveries for social research.
- Quadlin, N., Jeon, N., Doan, L., & Powell, B. (2022). Untangling perceptions of atypical parents. Journal of Marriage and Family. [Abstract]
This study examines how the public perceives of five types of “atypical” parents in the United States—single mothers, single fathers, lesbian couples, gay couples, and adoptive parents—including, critically, the factors that contribute to these perceptions. Although a handful of studies have considered attitudes toward atypical parents, virtually no studies have considered why people hold the attitudes they do. In addition, few studies have compared multiple types of parents simultaneously, to understand the direction and magnitude of people's perceptions of alternative families. The authors designed and conducted a national phone survey (N = 827). Respondents were randomly assigned to an experimental condition corresponding to one of these five types of parents. Then, respondents were asked how well the parent(s) can: bring up a child (i.e., an overall perception item), provide for children's basic needs, have a warm relationship, and teach important values, compared to their normative counterparts. Respondents are by far the most receptive toward adoptive parents across all four of these items. Perceptions of single parents are most strongly shaped by beliefs about economic resources. Perceptions of same-sex parents are most strongly shaped by beliefs about morality. We also find key gendered perceptions within these parent groups. For example, emotional considerations shape perceptions of gay couples, but not lesbian couples. Adoptive parents are broadly accepted in the United States, but much resistance toward single parents (on mostly economic grounds) and same-sex parents (on mostly moral grounds) remains.
