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Table 10 Future likelihood of firearm possession and use in a situation where political violence is perceived as justified

From: Trends in views of democracy and society and support for political violence in the USA, 2022–2024: findings from a nationally representative survey

Thinking now about the future and all the changes it might bring, how likely is it that you will use a gun in any of the following ways in the next few years—in a situation where you think force or violence is justified to advance an important political objective?

2022 Respondents (n= 12,947)

2023 Respondents (n=9385)

2024 Respondents (n=8896)

Mean Difference, * 2022-2023

Mean Difference, * 2023-2024

Unweighted n

Weighted % (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

Unweighted n

Weighted % (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

Unweighted n

Weighted % (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

Unweighted n

Weighted mean (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

Unweighted n

Weighted % (95% CI) Mean score (95% CI)

I will be armed with a gun.

          

 Not likely (1)

10,408

80.6 (79.7, 81.5)

6832

75.9 (74.7, 77.1)

6688

77.4 (76.2, 78.6)

9385

− 5.6 (− 6.9, − 4.4)

8185

1.0 (− 0.3, 2.3)

 Somewhat likely (2)

1331

10.5 (9.8, 11.3)

1268

12.8 (11.9, 13.8)

1108

11.5 (10.6, 12.4)

9385

2.7 (1.6, 3.8)

8185

− 1.4 (− 2.6, − 0.2)

 Very or extremely likely (3)

1070

7.4 (6.9, 8.0)

1140

9.0 (8.3, 9.8)

954

8.8 (8.0, 9.6)

9385

2.2 (1.4, 3.0)

8185

0.1 (− 0.8, 1.0)

 Non-response

138

1.4 (1.1, 1.7)

145

2.2 (1.8, 2.7)

146

2.3 (1.9, 2.9)

9385

0.7 (0.2, 1.2)

8185

0.3 (− 0.3, 0.8)

 Item score†

12,809

1.26 (1.24, 1.27)

9240

1.32 (1.30, 1.33)

8750

1.30 (1.28, 1.31)

9181

0.076 (0.059, 0.094)

7984

− 0.011 (− 0.029, 0.008)

I will carry a gun openly, so that people know I am armed.

          

 Not likely (1)

11,559

88.9 (88.2, 89.7)

7992

85.6 (84.6, 86.6)

7701

86.3 (85.2, 87.3)

9385

− 4.1 (− 5.2, − 3.0)

8185

0.3 (− 0.8, 1.4)

 Somewhat likely (2)

751

5.6 (5.1, 6.1)

787

7.6 (6.8, 8.4)

659

6.9 (6.2, 7.6)

9385

2.4 (1.5, 3.2)

8185

− 0.8 (− 1.8, 0.1)

 Very or extremely likely (3)

489

3.9 (3.5, 4.4)

451

4.4 (3.8, 5.0)

390

4.4 (3.8, 5.1)

9385

0.9 (0.2, 1.6)

8185

0.4 (− 0.4, 1.1)

 Non-response

148

1.5 (1.2, 1.8)

155

2.4 (1.9, 2.9)

146

2.4 (2.0, 3.0)

9385

0.8 (0.3, 1.3)

8185

0.2 (− 0.3, 0.7)

 Item score†

12,799

1.14 (1.13, 1.15)

9230

1.17 (1.15, 1.18)

8750

1.16 (1.15, 1.18)

9162

0.045 (0.030, 0.060)

7980

0.001 (− 0.015, 0.016)

I will threaten someone with a gun.

          

 Not likely (1)

12,570

96.3 (95.8, 96.7)

8971

93.9 (93.1, 94.7)

8498

94.0 (93.2, 94.7)

9385

− 2.2 (− 3.0, − 1.4)

8185

− 0.2 (− 1.0, 0.7)

 Somewhat likely (2)

148

1.3 (1.0, 1.6)

168

2.3 (1.8, 2.8)

165

2.2 (1.8, 2.7)

9385

1.0 (0.4, 1.5)

8185

0.0 (− 0.6, 0.6)

 Very or extremely likely (3)

83

0.9 (0.7, 1.2)

101

1.6 (1.2, 2.1)

89

1.5 (1.1, 2.0)

9385

0.6 (0.2, 1.1)

8185

− 0.1 (− 0.5, 0.4)

 Non-response

146

1.5 (1.2, 1.8)

145

2.2 (1.7, 2.7)

144

2.3 (1.9, 2.8)

9385

0.6 (0.1, 1.1)

8185

0.2 (− 0.3, 0.7)

 Item score†

12,801

1.03 (1.03, 1.04)

9240

1.06 (1.05, 1.07)

8752

1.05 (1.04, 1.06)

9172

0.024 (0.014, 0.034)

7986

− 0.002 (− 0.012, 0.008)

I will shoot someone with a gun.

          

 Not likely (1)

12,372

94.8 (94.3, 95.4)

8766

92.3 (91.5, 93.2)

8372

92.9 (92.0, 93.6)

9385

− 2.5 (− 3.4, − 1.6)

8185

0.2 (− 0.7, 1.1)

 Somewhat likely (2)

302

2.6 (2.2, 2.9)

333

3.7 (3.1, 4.3)

264

3.2 (2.7, 3.7)

9385

1.3 (0.6, 2.0)

8185

− 0.4 (− 1.1, 0.3)

 Very or extremely likely (3)

132

1.1 (0.9, 1.4)

146

1.8 (1.4, 2.2)

120

1.7 (1.3, 2.2)

9385

0.6 (0.1, 1.1)

8185

− 0.1 (− 0.6, 0.4)

 Non-response

141

1.5 (1.2, 1.8)

140

2.2 (1.7, 2.6)

140

2.3 (1.9, 2.8)

9385

0.6 (0.1, 1.1)

8185

0.3 (− 0.3, 0.8)

 Item score†

12,806

1.05 (1.04, 1.06)

9245

1.07 (1.06, 1.08)

8756

1.07 (1.06, 1.08)

9179

0.027 (0.016, 0.038)

7993

− 0.005 (− 0.017, 0.006)

  1. Change scores have a potential range from 0 (no change) to ±2. Change scores for 2023-2034 that differ significantly from 0 are in bold font. Findings for 2022 and 2023 respondents and mean differences for 2022-2023 were published previously [10] and are reproduced for convenience
  2. * Among respondents to both surveys
  3. † Mean scores were calculated using values indicated in the response lines for individual items. Non-responses were excluded from mean score calculations and differences in mean scores were computed in the subsample of respondents with non-missing responses in both years by computing within-individual change scores and averaging them, to account for the longitudinal study design. For computing differences in individual response levels, indicator variables were computed for each item for each response level and within-individual differences in these were computed and averaged in the subsample of respondents who responded to the survey in both years. This explains the variation in the unweighted n for the mean differences