"Gun violence is not just a criminal justice issue; it's a public health crisis and a human rights concern. Every year, more than 45,000 Americans die by firearms, with a majority of these deaths being suicides ( Pew Research Center, 2025). While public discourse often centers on legislation and politics, understanding the psychological underpinnings of gun violence reveals critical insights that can help shift our culture, policies, and community responses toward lasting solutions."
"Psychological science has long examined the ways fear, identity, and social norms shape behavior. When applied to the issue of gun violence, this lens helps explain both the causes and the resistance to reform. Rather than approaching the issue with blame or binary thinking, psychology invites us to explore root causes and human motivations, then to act in ways that are both empathetic and effective."
"Fear is a primary psychological driver of handgun purchases ( Stroebe et al., 2017). Recent research has shown that many Americans buy firearms out of a desire for protection, even though having a gun in the home increases the risk of suicide and homicide (Studdert et al., 2022). This fear-based reasoning is powerful but often inaccurate, as it overestimates threats and underestimates risks."
Gun violence is a public health crisis and a human rights concern. Over 45,000 Americans die annually from firearms, mostly suicides (Pew Research Center, 2025). Psychological drivers such as fear, identity, and social norms shape gun ownership and resistance to reform. Many people purchase handguns for protection despite increased household suicide and homicide risk. Policies like waiting periods provide a cooling-off interval that reduces suicides. Shifting social norms toward shared values, combined with structural reforms and empathetic, non-blaming approaches, can reduce gun violence and support lasting community safety.
Read at Psychology Today
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