Kappes Cathleen, Greve Werner, Hellmers Sabine
Department of Psychology, University of Hildesheim, Marienburger Platz 22, 31141 Hildesheim, Germany.
Eur J Ageing. 2013 Jan 5;10(2):111-125. doi: 10.1007/s10433-012-0255-3. eCollection 2013 Jun.
This study aimed to provide further insight into the question of why older adults show a higher precautionary behaviour regarding crime (behavioural fear), although they do not estimate their victimisation risk as higher than young adults and they do not experience fear more often. In two cross-sectional studies, the hypothesis was tested that the age-related increase in precautionary behaviour is an expression of higher dispositional fear with age. The vignette technique was employed to induce situational fear of crime across various situations as a proxy for dispositional fear. In contrast to the hypothesis, in Study 1 (young: 18-30 years, = 179 vs. middle-aged: 50-64 years, = 106), only younger adults reported higher situational fear in two vignettes. In Study 2 (young: 18-30 years, = 129 vs. young-old: 65-84 years, = 114), younger adults indicated higher situational fear again; however, young-old adults reported higher situational fear in other vignettes. The findings suggest that there is no general increase in the intensity of situational fear of crime with age and thus no age-related change in dispositional fear. Moreover, situational fear did not serve as mediator in the relationship between age and precautionary behaviour. Alternative accounts for the increase in behavioural fear of crime are discussed as well as emotion regulation mechanisms in response to the induction method.
本研究旨在进一步深入探讨为何老年人在犯罪问题上表现出更高的预防行为（行为恐惧），尽管他们并不认为自己遭受犯罪侵害的风险高于年轻人，且也没有更频繁地体验到恐惧。在两项横断面研究中，对“预防行为随年龄增长是更高的特质性恐惧的一种表现”这一假设进行了检验。采用了情景描述技术来引发在各种情景下对犯罪的情景性恐惧，以此作为特质性恐惧的替代指标。与假设相反，在研究1（年轻人：18 - 30岁，n = 179；中年：50 - 64岁，n = 106）中，只有年轻成年人在两个情景描述中报告了更高的情景性恐惧。在研究2（年轻人：18 - 30岁，n = 129；年轻老年人：65 - 84岁，n = 114）中，年轻成年人再次表现出更高的情景性恐惧；然而，年轻老年人在其他情景描述中报告了更高的情景性恐惧。研究结果表明，情景性犯罪恐惧强度并不会随年龄普遍增加，因此特质性恐惧也不存在与年龄相关的变化。此外，情景性恐惧在年龄与预防行为之间的关系中并未起到中介作用。文中还讨论了对犯罪行为恐惧增加的其他解释以及针对诱导方法的情绪调节机制。
