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Comparing and Contrasting Rates of Firearm Homicides and Suicides

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Abstract

The present research investigates relations among social-biogeographic factors (i.e., temperature, parasite burden, poverty rate, firearm possession rate, psychopathology rate, and estimated IQ), firearm homicide rate, and firearm suicide rate in each of the 50 states of the United States of America. Analysis of archival state-level data showed that local parasite burden strongly and positively predicted firearm homicide rate (sR = .58, p = < .0001). In contrast, both firearms possession rate (sR = −.18, p = .008) and State psychopathology rate (sR = −.34, p = < .0001) negatively predicted firearm homicide rate. In contrast, State psychopathology rate alone positively predicted suicide rate (sR = .42, p = < .0001). These results, which we discuss in terms of Thornhill’s and Fincher’s Parasite-Stress Model (2011), can be used to provide behavior-driven alternative models of behavior to guide political policy making and therapeutic interventions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, School of Mind, Brain, and Behavior, College of Science, University of Arizona, 1503 E University Blvd, Tucson, AZ, 85721-20068, USA

    Rachel Christine Zambrano, Mateo Peñaherrera-Aguirre, Aurelio José Figueredo & W. Jake Jacobs

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  1. Rachel Christine Zambrano
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  2. Mateo Peñaherrera-Aguirre
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  3. Aurelio José Figueredo
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All authors made substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work and the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; drafted the work or revised it critically for important intellectual content; approved the version to be published; and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

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Correspondence to Rachel Christine Zambrano.

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Due to the archival nature of this study, using data taken from published sources posted on the internet by government agencies and NGOs, human subjects approval from the Institutional Review Board at the University of Arizona was not needed.

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Again, these were archival data at the aggregate level of USA States and thus do not require the informed consent of the participants.

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Zambrano, R.C., Peñaherrera-Aguirre, M., Figueredo, A.J. et al. Comparing and Contrasting Rates of Firearm Homicides and Suicides. Evolutionary Psychological Science 8, 262–278 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-021-00311-y

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