title: Racism, gun ownership and gun control: biased attitudes in US whites may influence policy decisions.
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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Studies, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia ; School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Kerry
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Forrest
authors.forename: Dermot
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lynott
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daly
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D005389:Firearms; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010067:Ownership; D063505:Racism; D014481:United States; D044465:White People