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dc.titleOverconfidence and Gun Preferences: How Behavioral Biases Affect Your Safety
dc.contributor.authorCafferata, Fernando Gabriel
dc.contributor.authorDomínguez, Patricio
dc.contributor.authorScartascini, Carlos
dc.contributor.orgunitDepartment of Research and Chief Economist
dc.coverageUnited States
dc.coverageLatin America
dc.date.available2023-04-25T00:04:00
dc.date.issue2023-04-25T00:04:00
dc.description.abstractOverconfidence leads to risky behavior, including when people are around guns. Does overconfidence also shape attitudes about gun ownership and use? We evaluate this possibility by conducting nationally representative surveys in six countries in the Americas, including the United States. Results show that overconfident individuals are more willing to accept the use of guns and more likely to declare their willingness to use guns. These results indicate that overconfidence is a significant behavioral trait correlated with attitudes toward weapons handling, ownership, carrying, and use. Overall, over-confidence could lead, in equilibrium, to lower regulation than optimal and a higher amount of guns, even before considering the effect of the electoral system, lobbying, and campaign contributions. Efforts to correct the biases of individuals confronted with making decisions about guns should be a priority, especially in regulatory contexts. Information about actual performance and the risks entailed by wrong choices is a must. Obliging individuals to reflect on their choices may also help correct observed biases.
dc.format.extent59
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0004855
dc.identifier.urlhttps://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Overconfidence-and-Gun-Preferences-How-Behavioral-Biases-Affect-Your-Safety.pdf
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherInter-American Development Bank
dc.subjectCrime and Violence
dc.subjectUse of Guns
dc.subjectOverconfidence Effect
dc.subjectCrime Prevention
dc.subjectHomicide
dc.subjectStandard Deviation
dc.subjectPopulation Aging
dc.subjectRegulation
dc.subjectRating
dc.subject.jelcodeD91 - Intertemporal Household Choice • Life Cycle Models and Saving
dc.subject.jelcodeK40 - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior: General
dc.subject.jelcodeD72 - Political Processes: Rent-Seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
dc.subject.keywordsOverconfidence;Gun attitudes;Gun behavior;Crime;behavioral biases
idb.identifier.pubnumberIDB-WP-01225
idb.operationRG-E1504
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