Research

Our current primary focus is using longitudinal datasets to study predictors and processes of religious conversion, deconversion, and reconversion in adolescence and young adulthood.

We are starting a research program using artificial intelligence (AI) to study religious development. This involves using language models (GPT-3) to generate and visualize data, as well as analytic approaches such as topic modeling.

With current graduate student Emily Taylor, we are studying the impact individual changes in religiousness have on family relationships. In particular, we are looking at the relational impact of religious deconversion.

With former graduate student Jenae Nelson, we are studying gratitude and indebtedness to God, including positive psychology interventions.

With colleagues in religious education (Justin Dyer, Michael Goodman, and Mark Ogletree) we are studying developmental contexts of religious development, particularly the family (and particularly among Latter-day Saint youth). We are also looking at how religion impacts mental health among LGBTQ youth.

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