What Influences Attitudes Toward Gun Control Reform?
People see the causes of mass shootings differently, depending on whether they own guns. Those who don't own guns often blame such incidents on the widespread availability of guns — but owners do not.
Do mass shootings, like the tragic event in Las Vegas on the evening of Oct. 1, change people's minds about gun control?
From a policy perspective, we can ask whether changes in gun regulations would likely affect the occurrence of mass shootings and other forms of gun violence. (We certainly should be asking these questions.)
But from a psychological perspective, we can also ask whether particular events, in fact, change people's attitudes toward guns and the government's role in their regulation. Does an event that heartbreakingly exposes the risks of firearms unite
