The Impact of Mass Shootings on Attitudes toward Gun Restrictions

Abstract

Is the American public more likely to favor stricter gun legislation in the aftermath of deadly mass shootings? The authors leverage the occurrence of several mass shootings during multiple survey waves of the General Social Survey between 1987 and 2018 to examine whether exposure to a mass shooting sways public opinion on gun legislation. The results reveal that mass shootings increase support for stricter gun permits among Democrats but not for individuals of other political orientations. An exception to this finding occurs with school shootings, which mobilize broad support for firearm legislation among both Democrats and Republicans.