Gun Attitudes Under Fear: Investigating the Moderating Effect of Fear of Crime on the Relationship between Immigration Status and Gun Attitudes

Abstract The gun debate in the United States is highly contentious, with two opposing factions: pro-gun control and anti-gun control. Research has associated these divisions with various factors, including demographics, exposure to violence, and fear of crime. While previous studies have solely explored these distinct factors, little attention has been given to how different factors interact to moderate these gun attitudes. Past studies, for instance, have found a complex relationship between fear and gun attitudes. Building on this, the present study examines how fear of crime, both on campus and in the neighborhood, moderates the relationship between immigration status and gun attitudes. This study utilizes a sample from a college community and employs a moderation analysis using Andrew Hayes’ PROCESS macro in SPSS. The results indicate that fear of crime, both on campus and in the neighborhood, has a moderating effect, altering the direction of the relationship between immigration status and gun attitudes.