Perceptions of Danger (Paperback)

Helen Rabello Kras

ISBN 10: 1009537040 / ISBN 13: 9781009537049

Published by Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2026

About this Item

Paperback. This Element explores how citizens understand general crime and violence against women, especially intimate partner violence (IPV). Drawing on interdisciplinary literature, this Element makes the case that cognitive heuristics and risk assessments, in particular, shape the way people see crime versus IPV. The central argument is that cognitive heuristics that generate risk perceptions help us understand why the public worries excessively about crime, with important political consequences, while downplaying IPV. This fosters distinct attitudes toward IPV and general crime. Accordingly, this Element sheds light on why victim-blaming is so prevalent in the context of IPV. Using original survey experiments from Brazil and Mexico, the study shows that respondents attribute more responsibility for prevention to the victim for IPV than for general crimes, display optimism bias with acquaintance victimization, and approve different types of policy remedies to deal with general crime and IPV. This Element explores how citizens understand general crime and violence against women, especially intimate partner violence (IPV). It mentions that cognitive heuristics and risk assessments shape the way people see crime versus IPV. Cognitive heuristics help us understand why the public worries excessively about crime. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781009537049

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Perceptions of Danger (Paperback)
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1009537040
• ISBN 13: 9781009537049
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

This Element explores how citizens understand general crime and violence against women, especially intimate partner violence (IPV). Drawing on interdisciplinary literature, this Element makes the case that cognitive heuristics and risk assessments, in particular, shape the way people see crime versus IPV. The central argument is that cognitive heuristics that generate risk perceptions help us understand why the public worries excessively about crime, with important political consequences, while downplaying IPV. This fosters distinct attitudes toward IPV and general crime. Accordingly, this Element sheds light on why victim-blaming is so prevalent in the context of IPV. Using original survey experiments from Brazil and Mexico, the study shows that respondents attribute more responsibility for prevention to the victim for IPV than for general crimes, display optimism bias with acquaintance victimization, and approve different types of policy remedies to deal with general crime and IPV.