Social Disruption, Gun Buying, and Anti-System Beliefs

Matthew J. Lacombe, Matthew D. Simonson, Jon Green, James N. Druckman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Gun ownership is a highly consequential political behavior. It often signifies a belief about the inadequacy of state-provided security and leads to membership in a powerful political constituency. As a result, it is important to understand why people buy guns and how shifting purchasing patterns affect the composition of the broader gun-owning community. We address these topics by exploring the dynamics of the gun-buying spike that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was one of the largest in American history. We find that feelings of diffuse threat prompted many individuals to buy guns. Moreover, we show that new gun owners, even more than buyers who already owned guns, exhibit strong conspiracy and anti-system beliefs. These findings have substantial consequences for the subsequent population of gun owners and provide insight into how social disruptions can alter the nature of political groups.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1100-1117
Number of pages18
JournalPerspectives on Politics
Volume22
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2024
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Political Science and International Relations

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