Race, Sex, and Guns: a Social Psychology of Firearms Ownership.

Abstract

This research is based on the assumption that the ownership of firearms for protection is a punitive response to perceived crime. It is hypothesized that, because of a prevailing cultural stereotype of the typical criminal as a young black male, racial prejudice against blacks produces a punitive orientation toward criminals, which in turn leads to gun ownership. It is further hypothesized that perceptions of inadequate police protection and high and /or rising crime rates cause a greater increase in gun ownership among racists than among nonracists. The perception of institutional racism on the part of the police and courts is hypothesized to have the opposite effect on blacks from that which racism is hypothesized to have on whites. Finally, it is predicted that fear will have a positive impact on gun ownership among women but not among men. In contrast to firearms, the ownership of nonpunitive forms of protection, such as extra locks and burglar alarms, is expected to be related to fear rather than punitiveness. Further, the ownership of these devices is not expected to differ according to racial attitudes. The data were collected through survey interviews with a r and om sample of 445 Detroit area adults. Separate analyses were performed for white males, white females, black males, and black females. The results support the predictions for whites. The analysis of blacks, however, is less supportive of the theory and , due to small sample sizes, less conclusive. It is suggested that the greater success of the theory in predicting gun ownership among whites reflects the fact that crime is less abstract and more real for blacks than whites. If so, then objective life conditions may play a more prominent role in motivating gun ownership among blacks, while attitudes are more important among whites.