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December 15, 2004
Firearms May be Intriguing to Young Boys |
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book and
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Research indicates contradictions between the preferences of boys toward firearms and
their actual actions when in the presence of them. In this research project, investigators
studied the behaviors and desires of young boys towards guns. They sought to determine
whether their actions matched their words about firearms when they were in the presence of
guns. Several of the subjects indicated that guns were their least favorite play items.
Methods
Authors of the study recruited 55 boys ages 9 to 15 from a summer camp. They were taken to
a room full of toys. They were told that they were going to have a discussion about toys.
Among the items were Legos, art supplies, and an unloaded and disarmed pistol. The
youngsters were instructed to indicate the likelihood of them playing with each item.
One week after the boys initially reported the chance of playing with the items, the class
instructor left the boys alone in the room with the toys for a few moments. Before
departure, the teacher told the students in no uncertain terms to not touch the firearms.
Unbeknown to the students, a team of researchers, including the teacher, was observing the
students via a two-way mirror.
Results
Roughly two-thirds of the boys who indicated that the air pistol was their least favorite
item touched it when left alone.
Subjects who were warned not to touch the gun were not any more or less likely to do so,
suggesting that warnings themselves do not turn guns into tempting objects for boys.
Most subjects under age 12 indicated that they had little interest in touching the gun
after receiving the warning. Nonetheless, these individuals were more likely to touch the
guns than older boys.
None of the subjects touched any other forbidden items after the researcher cautioned them
against it.
Conclusion
The findings of the study indicate that warnings against playing with firearms have little
effect of preventing boys, who are looking to have fun, from playing with firearms,
researchers stated. The hypothesis thus holds true that young boys find guns intriguing,
authors noted. According to the most recent data from the National Center for Health
Statistics, 3,385 children and teens were killed by gunfire in 1999.
Complete findings of the study appear in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral
Pediatrics, October 2003
Author and inquiry
Marjorie S. Hardy, Ph.D., Eckerd College
(727) 864-7562 or via email at hardyms@eckerd.edu.
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