Economic insecurity, technology, and violence: how socioeconomic status moderates support for political violence

Abstract

This study examines how fear of economic insecurity and technology-related fear shape support for political violence in the U.S., with particular attention to the moderating role of socioeconomic status (SES). Drawing on nationally representative data from the 2024 Chapman University Survey on American Fears (N = 984), the analysis employs confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to test direct and moderated relationships. The results show that both fear of economic insecurity and technology-related fear are positively associated with support for political violence, highlighting the role of perceived threats in shaping political attitudes. However, these relationships differ across socioeconomic groups. Fear of economic insecurity is a significant predictor among individuals with low and middle SES, whereas technology-related fear is significant among those with low and high SES. These findings suggest that technology-related fear operates through different mechanisms across socioeconomic groups, reflecting concerns about economic displacement among lower SES individuals and perceived threats to status, professional identity, autonomy, or future stability among higher SES individuals. The findings demonstrate that support for political violence is shaped by the interaction of psychological perceptions and socioeconomic conditions, with important implications for policy and prevention.