IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/socsci/v105y2024i1p41-53.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Hold your fire! Influence of female legislators on gun legislation in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Rajeev K. Goel
  • Michael A. Nelson

Abstract

Objective This article considers the influence of female legislators on gun legislation across U.S. states. Females have behavioral differences with males and likely different exposure to gun‐related violence. Method Using data from 1991 to 2020, we estimate the drivers of gun legislation across U.S. states. The dependent variables are alternately the total number of gun laws enacted and 5‐year differences in gun laws. Results We find that female legislators in state houses significantly increase the supply of gun laws. Female senators, on the other hand, were no different from their male counterparts. In other results, states with greater population density had more gun laws, while economic prosperity, race, and the elderly population did not generally have significant effects. Finally, when special interest aspects, involving gun ownership, mass shooting episodes, and states with single‐party control of the legislative and executive branches are considered, mass shootings and single‐party control increase laws, while gun owners have the opposite effect. These findings show significance when 5‐year differences in gun laws are used. Conclusions Our findings suggest that when it comes to gun legislation and female legislator representation, it matters which chamber of the legislature females are elected to. Furthermore, different interest groups can significantly bear upon gun legislation.

Suggested Citation

  • Rajeev K. Goel & Michael A. Nelson, 2024. "Hold your fire! Influence of female legislators on gun legislation in the United States," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 105(1), pages 41-53, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:105:y:2024:i:1:p:41-53
    DOI: 10.1111/ssqu.13322
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/ssqu.13322
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/ssqu.13322?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rajeev K. Goel & Michael A. Nelson, 2021. "Drivers of COVID-19 vaccinations: vaccine delivery and delivery efficiency in the United States," Netnomics, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 53-69, June.
    2. Rajeev K. Goel & James R. Jones & James W. Saunoris, 2023. "Explaining vaccine hesitancy: A COVID‐19 study of the United States," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(2), pages 1073-1087, March.
    3. Luca, Michael & Malhotra, Deepak & Poliquin, Christopher, 2020. "The impact of mass shootings on gun policy," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    4. Goel, Rajeev K. & Saunoris, James W. & Goel, Srishti S., 2021. "Supply chain performance and economic growth: The impact of COVID-19 disruptions," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 298-316.
    5. Booth, Alison & Nolen, Patrick, 2012. "Choosing to compete: How different are girls and boys?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 81(2), pages 542-555.
    6. Kristin A. Goss, 2017. "The Socialization of Conflict and Its Limits: Gender and Gun Politics in America," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 98(2), pages 455-470, June.
    7. Alam, Shahriar Tanvir & Ahmed, Sayem & Ali, Syed Mithun & Sarker, Sudipa & Kabir, Golam & ul-Islam, Asif, 2021. "Challenges to COVID-19 vaccine supply chain: Implications for sustainable development goals," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).
    8. Brad M. Barber & Terrance Odean, 2001. "Boys will be Boys: Gender, Overconfidence, and Common Stock Investment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 116(1), pages 261-292.
    9. Laura Upenieks & Terrence D. Hill & James E. Robertson, 2023. "Pictures of you: God images, gun ownership, and empowerment in the United States," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 104(2), pages 92-109, March.
    10. Dennis Vicencio Blanco, 2016. "The Gun Control Debate: Why Experience and Culture Matters," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(8), pages 620-634, July.
    11. Newman, Benjamin J. & Hartman, Todd K., 2019. "Mass Shootings and Public Support for Gun Control," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(4), pages 1527-1553, October.
    12. Papke, Leslie E & Wooldridge, Jeffrey M, 1996. "Econometric Methods for Fractional Response Variables with an Application to 401(K) Plan Participation Rates," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(6), pages 619-632, Nov.-Dec..
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rajeev K. Goel & Michael A. Nelson, 2022. "Covid-19 Full-Dose Vaccination across Uninsured Populations: Evidence across Counties in the United States," CESifo Working Paper Series 10197, CESifo.
    2. Rajeev K. Goel & Shoji Haruna, 2021. "Unmasking the demand for masks: Analytics of mandating coronavirus masks," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 72(3), pages 580-591, July.
    3. Peter Kuhn & Marie-Claire Villeval, 2011. "Do Women Prefer a Co-operative Work Environment?," Working Papers 1127, Groupe d'Analyse et de Théorie Economique Lyon St-Étienne (GATE Lyon St-Étienne), Université de Lyon.
    4. Nataliya Barasinska & Dorothea Schäfer, 2018. "Gender role asymmetry and stock market participation – evidence from four European household surveys," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(12), pages 1026-1046, August.
    5. Balafoutas, Loukas & Kerschbamer, Rudolf & Sutter, Matthias, 2012. "Distributional preferences and competitive behavior," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 83(1), pages 125-135.
    6. Getinet Astatike Haile, 2021. "Men, women and unions," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 201-217, May.
    7. Mario Lackner, 2021. "Gender differences in competitiveness," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 236-236, November.
    8. Callado Muñoz, Francisco Jose & González Chapela, Jorge & Utrero González, Natalia, 2014. "Analysis of deviance in household financial portfolio choice: evidence from Spain," MPRA Paper 57497, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Rajeev K. Goel & Michael A. Nelson, 2021. "Corrupt encounters of the fairer sex: female entrepreneurs and their corruption perceptions/experience," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(6), pages 1973-1994, December.
    10. Rajeev K. Goel & James R. Jones & James W. Saunoris, 2023. "Explaining vaccine hesitancy: A COVID‐19 study of the United States," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(2), pages 1073-1087, March.
    11. Rajeev K. Goel & James W. Saunoris, 2022. "Push from the shadows: Does the shadow economy facilitate market exit of firms?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(7), pages 2955-2966, October.
    12. Bernd Frick & Clarissa Laura Maria Spiess Bru & Daniel Kaimann, 2023. "Are Women (Really) More Lenient? Gender Differences in Expert Evaluations," Working Papers Dissertations 106, Paderborn University, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
    13. Wang, Jianxin & Houser, Daniel & Xu, Hui, 2018. "Culture, gender and asset prices: Experimental evidence from the U.S. and China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 253-287.
    14. repec:ces:ifodic:v:15:y:2017:i:2:p:13-17 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Cueva, Carlos & Rustichini, Aldo, 2015. "Is financial instability male-driven? Gender and cognitive skills in experimental asset markets," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 330-344.
    16. F. J. Callado-Munoz & J. Gonzalez-Chapela & N. Utrero-Gonzalez, 2017. "Analysis of Variance in Household Financial Portfolio Choice: Evidence from Spain," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 67(5), pages 439-459, October.
    17. Amanda Goodall & Margit Osterloh & Mandy Fong, 2020. "Women Shy Away From Competition – How To Overcome It," CREMA Working Paper Series 2020-21, Center for Research in Economics, Management and the Arts (CREMA).
    18. Hoyer, Britta & van Huizen, Thomas & Keijzer, Linda & Rezaei, Sarah & Rosenkranz, Stephanie & Westbrock, Bastian, 2020. "Gender, competitiveness, and task difficulty: Evidence from the field," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    19. Dimitrios Christelis & Dimitris Georgarakos, 2009. "Household Economic Decisions under the Shadow of Terrorism," CSEF Working Papers 213, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy.
    20. Joon Mahn Lee & Byoung‐Hyoun Hwang & Hailiang Chen, 2017. "Are founder CEOs more overconfident than professional CEOs? Evidence from S&P 1500 companies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 751-769, March.
    21. Justine Burns & Simon Halliday & Malcolm Keswell, 2012. "Gender and Risk Taking in the Classroom," SALDRU Working Papers 87, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • H11 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government - - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:105:y:2024:i:1:p:41-53. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0038-4941 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.