A U.S. survey found that economic insecurity mattered more for people with low or middle incomes, while technology fears mattered at both income extremes.
Researchers analyzed data from the 2024 Chapman University Survey on American Fears to examine how perceived economic and technology-related threats relate to support for political violence in the United States. They used statistical models to test both overall associations and whether socioeconomic status changed those relationships.
Both types of fear were positively associated with support for political violence, but the patterns differed by socioeconomic group. Economic insecurity was a significant predictor among people with low and middle socioeconomic status, while technology-related fear was significant among those with low and high socioeconomic status.
Different fears, different groups
Fear of economic insecurity and technology-related fear were both associated with greater support for political violence. Fear of economic insecurity was a significant predictor among people with low and middle socioeconomic status. Technology-related fear was significant among people with low and high socioeconomic status.
The researchers suggest that technology-related fear may reflect concerns about economic displacement among people with lower socioeconomic status. Among people with higher socioeconomic status, it may instead reflect concerns about status, professional identity, personal autonomy or future stability. The study does not establish that these fears cause support for political violence.
What the study can show
The study analyzed nationally representative U.S. survey data from 984 respondents in the 2024 Chapman University Survey on American Fears. Researchers used confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to examine associations and differences across socioeconomic groups.
This is survey-based evidence, not a direct test of cause and effect. The abstract does not report how the measures were collected or the size of the associations, and the findings may not apply beyond the U.S. population represented by the survey.
