Skip to search boxSkip to navigationSkip to main content

"In weapons we trust?" four-culture analysis of factors associated with weapon tolerance in young males

  • Marek Palace
    ,
  • Brandon May
    ,
  • Neil Shortland
    ,
  • William Brown
    ,
  • David Mcllroy
    ,
  • Manish Madan
  • Liverpool John Moores University
    ,
  • Florida Institute of Technology
    ,
  • University of Massachusetts Lowell
    ,
  • Stockton University
    ,
  • University of Opole
    ,
  • Jagiellonian University in Kraków
Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Open access

Abstract

Addressing the under-researched issue of weapon tolerance, the paper examines factors behind male knife and gun tolerance across four different cultures, seeking to rank them in terms of predictive power and shed light on relations between them. To this end, four regression and structural equation modelling analyses were conducted using samples from the US (n = 189), India (n = 196), England (n = 107) and Poland (n = 375). Each sample of male participants indicated their standing on several dimensions (i.e., predictors) derived from theory and related research (i.e., Psychoticism, Need for Respect, Aggressive Masculinity, Belief in Social Mobility and Doubt in Authority). All four regression models were statistically significant. The knife tolerance predictors were: Aggressive Masculinity (positive) in the US, Poland and England, Belief in Social Mobility (negative) in the US and England, Need for Respect (positive) in India and Psychoticism (positive) in Poland. The gun tolerance predictors were: Psychoticism (positive) in the US, India and Poland, Aggressive Masculinity (positive) in the US, England and Poland, and Belief in in Social Mobility (negative) in the US, Belief in Social Mobility (positive) and Doubt in Authority (negative) in Poland. The Structural Equation Weapon Tolerance Model (WTM) suggested an indirect effect for the latent factor Perceived Social Ecological Constraints via its positive relation with the latent factor Saving Face, both knife and gun tolerance were predicted by Psychoticism.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Original language

English

Article number

e0317182

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

PLoS ONE (Volume 20, Issue 3 March)

Publication milestones

  • Accepted/In press - 23/12/2024
  • Published - 20/03/2025

Publication status

Published - 20/03/2025

Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/626583
  • PubMed: 40112246
  • Scopus: 105000273364

Access to documents

Publication metrics

Metrics

Download statistics
Download count
6

PlumX, opens in new tab

Mentions
1
Captures
9