Studies have examined mothers’ social media use and social comparison of themselves to others. However, there has been limited research on their use of social media within educational settings and how they compare their children to others. Since intensive mothering (IM) is the dominant motherhood ideology in many Western and Asian countries, exposure to social media was expected to reinforce IM’s hegemonic status. Therefore, this paper explored how exposure to four social media sources (celebrities, social media influencers, ordinary mothers, and friends) is associated with IM, and how IM relates to mothers’ comparison of their children regarding academic performance. Two-wave longitudinal data were collected from the United States (US) and Singapore (SG). After testing measurement invariance, multigroup structural equation modeling was conducted. Among SG mothers (N = 290), exposure to educational information from social media influencers and friends positively predicted endorsement of IM, which was positively associated with comparison of children. Among US mothers (N = 504), exposure to social media influencers and celebrities demonstrated the same effects. Testing the invariance of path coefficients revealed that only the effect of friends’ social media on IM is moderated by the group membership. Overall, the results showed that mothers’ social media use regarding education reinforces support for perfect mothering, which may lead to social comparison of their children’s academic performance. Findings imply that social media contribute to the prevalence of IM despite cultural differences. Stronger endorsement for IM and child comparison may impose additional pressure on both mothers and children. Mothers’ use of educational information from social media is related to endorsement of intensive mothering ideology. Endorsement of intensive mothering predicts comparison of children regarding academic performance. The findings are largely similar in both the United States and Singapore despite cultural differences. Social media use contributes to the prevalence of intensive mothering ideology. The results imply increasing pressure on both mothers and children in the age of social media.

Existing volatility models normally emphasize the behaviour of prices in a temporal sense and comparatively few studies have explicitly analysed the spatial variation of volatility. This paper proposes a flexible spatial volatility model for squared returns using a Box-Cox transformation that includes the linear and log-linear forms as special cases, thus providing a unified framework for simultaneously testing space-varying volatility and its functional form. The use of the model is illustrated by a substantive application to housing price data in the US city of Chicago. The estimation results suggest that housing returns in Chicago show that the volatility exhibits strong spatial dependence and the log-linear functional form is appropriate. In the final log-linear model, a new practical indicator, called neighbourhood elasticity, is proposed that determines how volatility in one neighbourhood is linked to that in surrounding neighbourhoods.

Although South Korea has been relatively successful in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, there were controversies surrounding the negative social consequences (SC) associated with the infection, such as breach of privacy in contact tracing and stigmatization of patients. We examined how individuals' thinking about the SC of COVID-19 infection influenced preventive intention through this specific case, the early phase of the pandemic in South Korea (March, 2020) when concerns regarding SC were very high but vaccines were not available. We theoretically investigated the path from information exposure about COVID-19, worry and risk perception about SC of COVID-19, attitudes/norms/self-efficacy, and preventive intention. An online survey of 805 South Koreans revealed that information exposure about COVID-19 was positively associated with worry and risk perception about the SC, which indirectly predicted preventive intention through attitudes/norms/self-efficacy. As COVID-19 is a new disease, people learned about it from various sources, and contemplated (worry and risk perception) its negative social outcomes. To avoid such negative SC, they might have changed their beliefs toward preventive behavior, which influenced preventive intention. Given that both worry (affective-cognitive state) and risk perception (cognitive evaluation) are related to thinking activities, the findings suggest that individuals' thinking about negative SC of COVID-19 infection might have partly contributed to the success of the early South Korean quarantine model. However, the results also raise critical questions as to how we can protect individuals' lives during a public health crisis.

Selfies are related to dissatisfaction with appearance, but interestingly, selfies also predict positive evaluation about appearance (e.g., narcissism). In addition, selfie effects on appearance were examined only at the personal level. This paper investigated appearance-related effects of selfies among Asian women both at the personal and societal level while controlling for individuals' perception of own appearance to see selfie effects regardless of (dis)satisfaction with appearance. At the personal level, acceptance of cosmetic surgery (ACS) was chosen as the outcome because cosmetic surgery is the most drastic means of personal transformation. At the societal level, acceptance of lookism (AL), discrimination based on appearance, was adopted because it shows social orientation toward beauty. Study 1 (N = 501), conducted among Singaporean women, found that selfie taking directly predicts ACS and also indirectly influences ACS through appearance comparison. However, indirect effects were not significant in the high self-esteem group (top 27.65%). Study 2, with longitudinal data (N = 941 at Wave 1 and 653 at Wave 2) collected from South Korean women, found that selfie taking and editing are first associated with appearance orientation, meaning the personal importance of appearance, at Wave 1, and such increased attention positively predicts AL, the societal importance of appearance, at Wave 2. No direct effects were found. The results suggest that selfies are associated with appearance-related beliefs both at the personal and societal level regardless of one's perception of own appearance, but there are individual differences and underlying mechanisms.

Intensive mothering ideology, which requires mothers’ full dedication to their children, is the dominant mothering culture worldwide. Under this ideology, mothers are responsible for children’s education, and seek educational information for the betterment of their children’s future. Previous studies found that exposure to this educational information is associated with mothers’ social comparison, competition, and consumption . This paper thus considered comparison, competition, and consumption as the 3Cs of contemporary motherhood , and explored these factors in a neoliberal educational context. Specifically, this paper examined how mothers’ educational information acquisition leads to the 3Cs of contemporary motherhood regarding children’s academic performance. Two-wave data were collected from mothers of 1 st , 2 nd , and 3 rd graders in the United States and Singapore. While the Asian educational environment is more competitive, US mothering culture also emphasizes mothers’ commitment to education, and this paper tested whether the model is invariant across the two groups. Findings from multigroup modeling analyses revealed similar models for both groups. Mothers’ exposure to educational information positively predicted social comparison. However, comparison of abilities was positively associated with competition, and comparison of opinions was negatively associated with competition, consistent with social comparison theory. Competition then positively predicted consumption intention. These results demonstrate quantitatively how responsibilization of mothers regarding children’s education under intensive mothering ideology influences mothers’ consumption intentions around education investment. The invariance of the model across the two groups suggests that motherhood competition, despite cultural differences, operates similarly in both countries.

This paper empirically tests housing market efficiency in the spatial dimension by using the spatial autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic (ARCH) and spatial quantile regression models. The tests were conducted in terms of both housing returns and squared returns (volatility). The sale price data used is from Cook County residential MLS for the years 2010–2016. The main findings are that housing returns are not spatially correlated but squared returns are spatially correlated, and the spatial dependence of squared returns seems to be stronger for higher squared return quantiles.

In this study, we propose a spatial stochastic volatility model in which the latent log-volatility terms follow a spatial autoregressive process. Though there is no spatial correlation in the outcome equation (the mean equation), the spatial autoregressive process defined for the log-volatility terms introduces spatial dependence in the outcome equation. To introduce a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation algorithm, we transform the model so that the outcome equation takes the form of log-squared terms. We approximate the distribution of the log-squared error terms in the outcome equation with a finite mixture of normal distributions so that the transformed model turns into a linear Gaussian state-space model. Our simulation results indicate that the Bayesian estimator has satisfactory finite sample properties. We investigate the practical usefulness of our proposed model and estimation method by using the price returns of residential properties in the broader Chicago Metropolitan area.

Makeup tutorials are one of the most popular YouTube video genres among young females. Feminist media scholars have asserted that makeup videos are based on postfeminist culture. Postfeminism defines femininity as a bodily property and focuses on enhancing appearance through consumption. To quantitatively confirm the results of feminist media studies, the current study theorized a psychological mechanism through which viewing frequency of and interest in makeup tutorials influence postfeminist beliefs in young women, using three traditional media effects theories (cultivation theory, social cognitive theory, and social comparison theory). A two-wave longitudinal survey was conducted in South Korea, which is considered one of the big five cosmetics markets worldwide. A path analysis showed that both frequency and interest at Wave 1 (W1) indirectly influenced postfeminist beliefs at W2 through social comparison (social comparison theory) at W1. Interest at W1 also had an indirect effect on postfeminist beliefs at W2 through outcome expectations (social cognitive theory) at W1. Societal prevalence (cultivation theory) was positively associated with frequency of viewing, but did not serve as a mediator. The results suggest that YouTube makeup tutorials may reinforce postfeminist beliefs in young women, and social comparison theory best explains the process.

The current study examined the prevalence, predictors, and psychosocial mechanism of cancer information avoidance (CIA). With a nationally representative sample, we sought to confirm the prevalence of CIA among Americans. Studies, based on crisis decision theory, have shown that a lack of personal or interpersonal resources to manage threat-related information leads to information avoidance. Cancer information overload (CIO) and cancer fatalism are known predictors of CIA, and these factors were viewed as a lack of personal resources. We measured interpersonal resources by an individual's network size. Then, to suggest a psychosocial mechanism of CIA, we tested how those personal resources interacted with interpersonal resources. A two-wave longitudinal survey was conducted using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults (N = 795 at Wave 1 and 626 at Wave 2). Approximately, 4-5 out of 10 adults had low to high levels of CIA, and they avoided the Internet more than any other source. Items that positively predicted CIA included male gender, being non-Hispanic white, and CIO. Family and personal cancer history negatively predicted CIA. However, the positive relationship between CIO and CIA existed only for people with fewer close friends (i.e., a smaller network size). The lack of personal resources did not lead to CIA for those who had more interpersonal resources that could help them manage threat-related information. The results suggest that social support protects individuals from the emotional stress of cancer information exposure, confirming the buffering model of social support.

Lookism refers to discrimination based on appearance. This study explored the factors that may lead individuals to accept lookism in the selfie era in which the importance of appearance is increasingly emphasized. Selfie culture, especially exposure rather than production, was suggested as a new phenomenon that reinforces the premium of beauty. Then this study tested how selfie exposure (present) interacts with individual personality (constant) and behavior (past) to influence the acceptance of lookism over time. Self-esteem (constant personality) and cosmetic procedures (past behavior) were chosen as factors that may affect lookism acceptance. A two-wave online panel survey was conducted in Korea among females aged 20 to 39 (N = 1064 and 782). Selfie exposure at Wave 1 was positively associated with lookism acceptance at Wave 2 only among those who were least likely to accept lookism: individuals with high self-esteem and no cosmetic procedures. Selfie culture has potential to lead people furthest from lookism to accept discrimination in favor of attractive people.

My primary research interest is applied econometrics with application to urban and real estate economics. I am particularly interested in analyzing spatial dynamics of the housingmarket. The combination of academic training and three years of professional experience working as a research assistant in the field of housing market analysis has led me to employ both qualitative and quantitative methods in relevant field research over space and time. My dissertation is concerned with modeling the spatial behavior of house price and its volatility. Although there is no spatial dependence in housing returns, I found the presence of strong spatial dependence in squared returns, leading to volatility clustering. I develop different models and conduct various tests and diagnostic checks for the validation of my models. I demonstrate the application of the proposed models using house price data in the Chicago metropolitan area. In this statement, I summarize three papers related to the spatial volatility and one paper which focuses on a more fundamental housing issue.

In this study, we propose a spatial stochastic volatility model in which the latent log-volatility terms follow a spatial autoregressive process. Though there is no spatial correlation in the outcome equation (the mean equation), the spatial autoregressive process defined for the log-volatility terms introduces spatial dependence in the outcome equation. To introduce a Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation algorithm, we transform the model so that the outcome equation takes the form of log-squared terms. We approximate the distribution of the log-squared error terms in the outcome equation with a finite mixture of normal distributions so that the transformed model turns into a linear Gaussian state-space model. Our simulation results indicate that the Bayesian estimator has satisfactory finite sample properties. We investigate the practical usefulness of our proposed model and estimation method by using the price returns of residential properties in the broader Chicago Metropolitan area. Bayesian estimator the Gaussian mixture approximation has good finite sample properties. In an empirical application using the price returns in the residential properties in the of and its we showed that although there is weak positive spatial correlation in the but a strong positive spatial correlation in log-volatility terms. Our results on the estimated conditional variances indicated that the lowest estimates are over of of while relatively larger estimates are distributed over a corridor extending from the west side of city to the south side.

The current study reexamined the relationship between social media use and happiness by broadening the scope of social media and rethinking the conceptualization of happiness. Specifically, this study included platforms other than Facebook and tested differential effects of each platform. Because happiness is not entirely relative, it was hypothesized that social comparison would influence only relative happiness, which is only one part of overall happiness. A two-wave longitudinal survey among Korean females revealed that the use of blogs, Instagram, and LinkedIn is positively associated with social comparison at Wave 1 (W1), whereas Twitter is negatively associated. LinkedIn use was most strongly associated with social comparison. In turn, social comparison at W1 negatively predicted relative happiness at W2 ("I am happier than my friends") but did not predict overall happiness at W2. Social media may lead us to believe that other people's lives are better through social comparison. However, such comparison influences only part of overall happiness or life satisfaction. Without social comparison, social media have the potential to make us happier.

This study investigated sociodemographic, health-related, technological, and motivational factors associated with having health-related apps. Focusing on motivational factors, this study chose five general healthy intentions (about fruit, vegetable, and soda intake, weight control, and amount of exercise) and examined whether those with intention to change their current state (change group) differ from those who want to maintain (maintain group) or pay no attention to their current state (no attention group). A secondary analysis of data from the Health Information National Trends Survey 4 (Cycle 4), collected from a representative sample of U.S. adults aged 18 years or older, was conducted. Only responses from Internet users were analyzed (N = 2,802). Regarding sociodemographics, younger individuals and those with higher income were more likely to have health apps. Hispanics and the less educated were less likely to have health apps. Also, technological factors, such as smartphone and Wi-Fi use, were associated with having apps. Regarding motivational factors, Model 1 (no attention group as a reference group) showed differences in having apps between those who wanted to change their weight and those who paid no attention. Model 2 (maintain group as a reference group) revealed a difference between those who tried to change the amount of exercise and those who maintained it. The findings provided a comprehensive profile of those with health apps in the United States: non-Hispanic young people with higher income, higher education, a smartphone, and a Wi-Fi connection who want to change (but not maintain) their weight and amount of exercise.

Cancer information acquisition is beneficial for cancer prevention. However, for some people, information exposure brings about greater uncertainty and anxiety, which prompt them to engage in subsequent exposure. This study tested whether intolerance of uncertainty (IU), a strong predictor of information exposure, can be used to identify such people in the cancer context. A longitudinal survey in South Korea (N = 1,130 at Wave 1 and 813 at Wave 2) revealed that the effect of past information exposure about cancer on future exposure is stronger for people with high IU. The results suggest that those with high IU feel greater cancer-related anxiety, resulting from the past exposure, and more eagerly engage in future exposure. Although highly correlated with IU, trait anxiety did not moderate the relationship between past and future exposure, suggesting that the role of IU in the cancer context is distinct from other neurotic traits.

Studies have explored the predictors of selfie-posting, but rarely investigated selfie-editing, a virtual makeover for online self-presentation. This study, based on social comparison theory, examined a psychological pathway from individual characteristics to selfie-editing behavior through social comparison. It was hypothesized that selfie-taking, public self-consciousness, social media use, and satisfaction with facial appearance would indirectly influence selfie-editing through social comparison of appearance (with friends or social media influencers/celebrities). A two-wave longitudinal online survey was conducted in South Korea among female smartphone users aged 20 to 39 (N = 1064 at Wave I and 782 at Wave 2). The results revealed that frequent selfie-taking, higher levels of public self-consciousness, and more use of social media at Wave 1 were associated with social comparison with friends at Wave 1, which increased selfie-editing behavior at Wave 2. However, those three independent variables did not have indirect effects on selfie-editing at Wave 2 through social comparison with influencers/celebrities. Also, satisfaction with facial appearance had neither direct nor indirect effect on selfie-editing at Wave 2. The findings suggest that individuals engage in social comparison and resulting selfie-editing not because of their dissatisfaction with appearance, but because of the desire for more ideal online self presentation. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

This study identified specific types of online health-related activities that may promote preventive dietary behaviors. Two cycles (Cycles 1 and 3) of the Health Information National Trends Survey 4 were analyzed (N = 2606 and 2284, respectively; Internet users only). Similar types of activities were grouped to create three types of online activities: information seeking, engagement in health information technology, and social media use. In both cycles, online health information seeking and the engagement in health information technology were positively associated with two dietary behaviors (fruit/vegetable consumption and using menu information on calories) but not with soda consumption. Individuals may be exposed to new information or become more aware of their current health status through information seeking or health information technology engagement. However, social media use for health was not related to any of the dietary behavior. The results suggest that “how we use the Internet” may make a difference in health outcomes.

Social media influencers are online celebrities who exhibit their personal lives to many followers via social media. Media studies have analyzed influencers' display of the luxurious life to which ordinary women can only aspire. Applying a quantitative method to previous findings, this study examined the psychological process through which social media use and personality traits affect females' envy toward influencers through social comparison. Specifically, this study tested whether social media use variables (exposure to influencers' social media, interest in specific content on influencers' social media) and personality traits (public self-consciousness and self-esteem) are associated with the frequency of comparison of one's life with that of influencers, which, in turn, predict envy toward them. A two-wave online survey was conducted in South Korea (N = 1,064 at Wave 1 and 782 at Wave 2) among female smartphone users aged 20-39. A path analysis revealed that all four independent variables at Wave 1 indirectly influenced envy at Wave 2 through social comparison at Wave 1, when envy at Wave 1 was controlled for. The findings extended the scope of social comparison theory and provided a critical view of influencers' self-representation from a feminist perspective.

Although cancer information avoidance (CIA) is detrimental to public health, predictors of CIA have not been fully investigated. Based on uncertainty management theory, this study viewed CIA as a response to uncertainty related to the distress associated with cancer information and illustrated the psychological process leading to CIA. Given the current information context, it was hypothesized that cancer information overload (CIO), accompanied by confusion and stress about cancer information, causes CIA. As trait anxiety is a strong predictor of CIO, it was also hypothesized that trait anxiety has an indirect effect on CIA through CIO. Study 1 tested this relationship in a U.S. sample (N = 384); the results showed that CIO was positively associated with CIA and that trait anxiety indirectly influenced CIA through CIO. Whereas Study 1 tested the relationship with cross-sectional data in the general cancer context, Study 2 replicated Study 1 with 3-wave longitudinal data in the context of a specific cancer (i.e., stomach cancer) in South Korea (N = 1,130 at Wave 1, 813 at Wave 2, and 582 at Wave 3). Trait anxiety at Wave 1 predicted CIO at Wave 2, which in turn increased CIA at Wave 3, suggesting that some people are inherently inclined to avoid cancer information due to their trait anxiety, which results in confusion about cancer information.

This study theorized the relationship among information exposure, affect, cognition, and behavioral intention by constructing a comprehensive model that combines an integrative model, media effects studies, and the risk-as-feelings hypothesis. Specifically, in the cancer context, we examined how exposure to information is associated with affect and cognition, which influence behavioral intention. A two-wave survey about stomach cancer was conducted among Korean people aged 40 or older (n = 1,130 at Wave 1 and 813 at Wave 2). Exposure to cancer information was positively associated with affective (cancer fear), affective-cognitive (cancer worry), and cognitive (risk perception) conditions at Wave 1, which predicted screening intention at Wave 2. However, cancer fear reduced screening intention, unlike cancer worry and cancer risk perception, which increased screening intention. While cancer risk perception influenced screening intention indirectly through norm, cancer fear and cancer worry had a direct impact on screening intention.