Construal Level Theory and Fear of Crime

In Chadee, D., (2015). Psychology of Fear, Crime and the Media. International Perspectives. Routledge, Forthcoming

17 Pages Posted: 7 Jan 2015 Last revised: 25 Feb 2015

See all articles by Ioanna Gouseti

Ioanna Gouseti

London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Department of Methodology

Jonathan Jackson

London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Department of Methodology

Date Written: January 5, 2015

Abstract

Construal level theory of psychological distance (CLT) is a social psychological theory that explores the mechanisms that people use to experience and express reactions to distal events, i.e., events that are not present in the ‘here and now’. The first mechanism is psychological distance from or proximity to the distal event in question; the second mechanism is mental construal of the distal event itself. In this chapter we consider the applicability of CLT for research into people’s representations of crime and their fear of crime. Our goals are twofold: (a) to stimulate new lines of enquiry in criminological research into fear of crime and (b) to discuss their theoretical and policy implications.

Keywords: fear of crime, psychological distance/proximity, crime construal, affect, risk perception

Suggested Citation

Gouseti, Ioanna and Jackson, Jonathan, Construal Level Theory and Fear of Crime (January 5, 2015). In Chadee, D., (2015). Psychology of Fear, Crime and the Media. International Perspectives. Routledge, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2545350 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2545350

Ioanna Gouseti (Contact Author)

London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Department of Methodology ( email )

Houghton Street
London, WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom

Jonathan Jackson

London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Department of Methodology ( email )

Houghton Street
London, WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom
+0044-207-955-7652 (Phone)

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