Citation

Satterfield SJ, Wallace LN. Soc. Sci. J. 2020; 57(2): 164-177.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.soscij.2018.10.012

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

While most college students opposed campus gun carrying in past U.S. studies, reasons for these views remained underexplored. This study examined the role of perceived safety. Data were collected with a web survey of 520 students across the U.S. Both open-ended and closed-ended items were included. On average, respondents disagreed that they would carry a gun on campus if policy permitted. This study found no empirical evidence of a significant association between perceived campus safety and intent to carry, or between perceived safety and perceptions of campus carry policies. Student responses to open-ended questions revealed themes in reasoning related to personal safety that were not otherwise apparent in the statistical data.

Language: en

Keywords

Attitudes; College safety; College students; Concealed carry; Firearms