Related Experiment Videos
Testing three competing hypotheses for explaining lethal violence
1Department of Sociology, California State University-Sacramento, Sacramento, CA 95819-6005, USA. bwu@csus.edu
Violence and Victims
|February 25, 2005
Summary
This study found that counties with higher "others-blame-worthiness" were more likely to have homicides, suggesting a link between blame attribution and lethal violence. This research framework effectively analyzes both suicide and homicide together.
Area of Science:
- Criminology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Lethal violence is complex, encompassing both suicide and homicide.
- Existing research often studies suicide and homicide separately.
- Understanding the interplay between these forms of violence is crucial for public health and safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test three competing hypotheses explaining lethal violence as a combination of suicide and homicide.
- To determine if attribution, socialization, or social disorder best explains the expression of lethal violence.
- To explore the utility of a unified framework for studying suicide and homicide.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Center for Health Statistics' Multiple Cause of Death study (1989-1991).
- Conducted bivariate analysis to examine correlations between suicide and homicide rates.
- Employed weighted least square regression analysis to test hypotheses.
Main Results:
- A positive correlation was observed between suicide and homicide rates across 458 large US counties.
- The attribution hypothesis was supported: higher "others-blame-worthiness" correlated with increased homicide rates.
- The socialization and social disorder hypotheses were not supported by the data.
Conclusions:
- The attribution hypothesis provides a valuable lens for understanding lethal violence.
- Studying suicide and homicide within a single theoretical and empirical framework is beneficial.
- Findings suggest that societal attributions of blame influence the manifestation of lethal violence.