Psychology of Fear, Crime and the Media International Perspectives Researching Social Psychology Series

The media continue to have a significant persuasive influence on the public perception of crime, even when the information presented is not reflective of the crime rate or actual crime itself. There have been numerous theoretical studies on fear of crime in the media, but few have considered this from a social psychological perspective. As new media outlets emerge and public dependence on them increases, the need for such awareness has never been greater. This volume lays the foundation for understanding fear of crime from a social psychological perspective in a way that has not yet been systematically presented to the academic world.

This volume brings together an international team of experts and scholars to assess the role of fear and the media in everyday life. Chapters take a multidisciplinary approach to psychology, sociology and criminology and explore such topics as dual process theory, construal level theory, public fascination with gangs, and other contemporary issues.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements ………………………………………………………………………………

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………….......

Section 1

1. Fear of crime as a ‘Sponge’. Towards a More Dynamic Understanding of the

Relationship Between Generalized Social Attitudes and Fear of Crime ………………

Stefaan Pleysier and Diederik Cops,

2. Construal Level Theory and Fear of Crime………………………………………............

Ioanna Gouseti and Jonathan Jackson,

3. Madness – Fear and Fascination........................................................................................

Peter Morrall,

4. Media and Fear of Crime: An Integrative Model…………………………......................

Derek Chadee and Mary Chadee,

5. Toward a Social Psychological Understanding of Mass Media and Fear of Crime:

More than Random Acts of Senseless Violence…………………………………………..

Linda Heath, Alisha Patel and Sana Mulla,

6. Globalization & Media: A Mediator Between Terrorism and Fear A Post 9/11

Perspective ………………………………………………………………………………...

Sonia Suchday, Amina Benkhoukha and Anthony

Section 2

1. Fear of Crime from a Multifocal Perspective: From Impersonal Concerns to Crimophobia-based PSDT…………………………………………………………………….

Frans Willem Winkel, and Maarten J.J. Kunst,L

8. Cross-cultural examinations of fear of crime: The case of Trinidad and the United

States……………………………………………………………………………

Jason Young and Danielle Cohen, and Derek Chadee

9. Fear of Gangs: A Summary and Directions for New Research ………………

Jodi Lane, and James W. Meeker,

10. Mass media, Linguistic Intergroup Bias, and Fear of Crime...............................

Silvia D'Andrea, Michele Roccato,Silvia Russo,and Federica Serafin,

11. Media, Fear of Crime and Punitivity among University Students in Canada and the

United States: A Cross-National Comparison................................................................

Steven Kohm, Courtney A.Waid-Lindberg,

Rhonda R. Dobbs, Michael Weinrath, and Tara O’Connor Shelley,

12. Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Video Game? Media Based Moral Panics……………

Christopher J. Ferguson, and Kevin M. Beaver,

Contributors……………………………………………………………………………………….

Derek Chadee is Professor of Social Psychology and Director of ANSA McAL Psychological Research Centre at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.