It’s unknown if demonstrating responsible handling actually keeps kids safe.

  • kibiz0r@midwest.social
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    2 months ago

    Risk compensation

    Risk compensation is a theory which suggests that people typically adjust their behavior in response to perceived levels of risk, becoming more careful where they sense greater risk and less careful if they feel more protected.[2] Although usually small in comparison to the fundamental benefits of safety interventions, it may result in a lower net benefit than expected or even higher risks.[3][n 1]

    • 2pt_perversion@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Yeah probably this. It feels okay to be more lax once your kid knows how to handle a gun because of the perceived lower chance that the kid accidentally discharges the gun they find.

      But kids trained in gun safety also purposely shoot themselves and others, and also still make dumb decisions and accidentally shoot themselves and others. And a lot parents probably don’t want to think about those scenarios in my experience.