TY - JOUR
T1 - Using word embeddings to analyse audience effects and individual differences in parenting Subreddits
AU - Sepahpour-Fard, Melody
AU - Quayle, Michael
AU - Schuld, Maria
AU - Yasseri, Taha
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE.
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - This paper explores how individuals’ language use in gender-specific groups (“mothers” and “fathers”) compares to their interactions when referred to as “parents.” Language adaptation based on the audience is well-documented, yet large-scale studies of naturally-occurring audience effects are rare. To address this, we investigate audience and gender effects in the context of parenting, where gender plays a significant role. We focus on interactions within Reddit, particularly in the parenting Subreddits r/Daddit, r/Mommit, and r/Parenting, which cater to distinct audiences. By analyzing user posts using word embeddings, we measure similarities between user-tokens and word-tokens, also considering differences among high and low self-monitors. Results reveal that in mixed-gender contexts, mothers and fathers exhibit similar behavior in discussing a wide range of topics, while fathers emphasize more on educational and family advice. Single-gender Subreddits see more focused discussions. Mothers in r/Mommit discuss medical care, sleep, potty training, and food, distinguishing themselves. In terms of individual differences, we found that, especially on r/Parenting, high self-monitors tend to conform more to the norms of the Subreddit by discussing more of the topics associated with the Subreddit.
AB - This paper explores how individuals’ language use in gender-specific groups (“mothers” and “fathers”) compares to their interactions when referred to as “parents.” Language adaptation based on the audience is well-documented, yet large-scale studies of naturally-occurring audience effects are rare. To address this, we investigate audience and gender effects in the context of parenting, where gender plays a significant role. We focus on interactions within Reddit, particularly in the parenting Subreddits r/Daddit, r/Mommit, and r/Parenting, which cater to distinct audiences. By analyzing user posts using word embeddings, we measure similarities between user-tokens and word-tokens, also considering differences among high and low self-monitors. Results reveal that in mixed-gender contexts, mothers and fathers exhibit similar behavior in discussing a wide range of topics, while fathers emphasize more on educational and family advice. Single-gender Subreddits see more focused discussions. Mothers in r/Mommit discuss medical care, sleep, potty training, and food, distinguishing themselves. In terms of individual differences, we found that, especially on r/Parenting, high self-monitors tend to conform more to the norms of the Subreddit by discussing more of the topics associated with the Subreddit.
KW - Audience effects
KW - Computational social science
KW - Gender stereotypes
KW - Natural language processing
KW - Parenting
KW - Reddit
KW - User embeddings
KW - Word embeddings
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85171835390&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1140/epjds/s13688-023-00412-7
DO - 10.1140/epjds/s13688-023-00412-7
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85171835390
SN - 2193-1127
VL - 12
JO - EPJ Data Science
JF - EPJ Data Science
IS - 1
M1 - 38
ER -