Bastian, Brock, O’Brien, Kerry, Forrest, Walter, Lynott, Dermot and Daly, Michael (2013) Racism, Gun Ownership and Gun Control: Biased Attitudes in US Whites May Influence Policy Decisions. PLoS ONE, 8 (10). e77552. ISSN 1932-6203
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Abstract
Objective: Racism is related to policies preferences and behaviors that adversely affect blacks and appear related to a fear of
blacks (e.g., increased policing, death penalty). This study examined whether racism is also related to gun ownership and
opposition to gun controls in US whites.
Method: The most recent data from the American National Election Study, a large representative US sample, was used to
test relationships between racism, gun ownership, and opposition to gun control in US whites. Explanatory variables known
to be related to gun ownership and gun control opposition (i.e., age, gender, education, income, conservatism, anti�government sentiment, southern vs. other states, political identification) were entered in logistic regression models, along
with measures of racism, and the stereotype of blacks as violent. Outcome variables included; having a gun in the home,
opposition to bans on handguns in the home, support for permits to carry concealed handguns.
Results: After accounting for all explanatory variables, logistic regressions found that for each 1 point increase in symbolic
racism there was a 50% increase in the odds of having a gun at home. After also accounting for having a gun in the home,
there was still a 28% increase in support for permits to carry concealed handguns, for each one point increase in symbolic
racism. The relationship between symbolic racism and opposition to banning handguns in the home (OR1.27 CI 1.03,1.58)
was reduced to non-significant after accounting for having a gun in the home (OR1.17 CI.94,1.46), which likely represents
self-interest in retaining property (guns).
Conclusions: Symbolic racism was related to having a gun in the home and opposition to gun control policies in US whites.
The findings help explain US whites’ paradoxical attitudes towards gun ownership and gun control. Such attitudes may
adversely influence US gun control policy debates and decisions.
Item Type: | Article |
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Keywords: | Racism; Gun Ownership; Gun Control; Biased Attitudes; US Whites; Influence Policy; Decisions; |
Academic Unit: | Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology |
Item ID: | 15568 |
Identification Number: | 10.1371/journal.pone.0077552 |
Depositing User: | Michael Daly |
Date Deposited: | 24 Feb 2022 14:23 |
Journal or Publication Title: | PLoS ONE |
Publisher: | Public Library of Science |
Refereed: | Yes |
Related URLs: | |
URI: | https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/15568 |
Use Licence: | This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here |
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