Running head: SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARD MASS SHOOTINGS 1

Social Responsibility Toward Mass Shootings

Nicole A. Olson

Navarro College
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Social Responsibility Toward Mass Shootings

Media has recently focused on the incidence of mass shootings and the negative effects

they have on society, and as a result, numerous studies have attempted isolating a root cause of

or pattern to these events. However, it appears that few studies propose a solution to the

underlying problem of mass shootings occurring. This paper examines mass shootings then

presents a potential way the members of society could work to decrease their occurrence.

Introduction to the Problem

To explain the subject, it must first be clearly designated. Thus, mass shootings are to be

defined as follows: “Shootings in which four or more people were killed by a lone shooter”

(Berkowitz, Lu, & Alcantara, 2018, par. 3). Mass shootings are a serious issue for both their

psychological repercussions and increasing frequency of occurrence.

The consequences often begin with a form of acute fear. For students, the fear of another

school shooting occurring may take the form of feeling constantly unsafe in their school,

negatively affecting their mood and academic ability (Turunen, Haravuori, Punamäki,

Suomalainen, & Marttunen, 2014). For others, the possibility of a mass shooting happening at

any one of their regular locations is the source of fear; as Dillion (2013) stated, “It is this feeling

of unknown that creates the greatest fears for people” (p. 2).

One thing that is known, however, is that mass shootings are becoming more common.

According to data gathered and reported by Berkowitz et al. (2018), there have been a total of

154 mass shootings since a landmark incident on August 1, 1966, which involved a sniper in a

tower at the University of Texas. A similar statistic stated, “99 mass shootings have occurred

since 1982” (“Gun Violence,” 2018, par. 22). Finally, the data gathered by Dillon (2013) and his

study “indicated that mass shootings are increasing slightly with almost half of all mass
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shootings analyzed occurring in the past eight years” (p. ix), further suggesting that the

frequency of mass shootings is rising.

Theory

A possible reason for the increase in mass shootings is a decrease in healthy and secure

attachment patterns being formed and maintained throughout youth. Based on previous research,

Turunen et al. (2014) said the following about attachment patterns and their importance in the

events following traumatic experiences:

According to attachment theory, the basis for the resources that promote or complicate

the recovery after traumatic events is built in infancy when a child forms a unique

communication pattern (attachment style) with his or her primary caregiver(s). This early

relationship creates the conditions for a later sense of security or insecurity as infants

learn how to regulate arousal and emotional reactions when distressed, and how to

receive attention and support when threatened. (par. 2)

If taken conversely, those ideas could support that a child who does not form a healthy

attachment could grow up to be at a psychological disadvantage. They might not learn to regulate

their emotions, seek attention in a socially-acceptable manner, and/or make a strong recovery

from traumatic situations. Any one of those stressors could potentially cause a person to act out

in the form of a mass shooting.

In support of this theory, one aspect of Dillon’s (2013) study found that a typical young

(late teenage to early adult) mass murderer “has a background of attachment difficulties” (p. 10).

While that piece of the study was so specific as to be potentially biased, it still suggests a

relationship between being a mass shooter and having made no or insecure attachment. Another

link comes from the description of a specific type of mass murder Dillion (2013) mentioned in
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his study; “the loyalty oriented mass murderer,” a person who “has a warped sense of love for

others close to them that the ultimate sacrifice is to save them from living,” (p. 8) would most

likely have developed a highly-insecure form of attachment that would have led to such ways of

thinking.

Social Responsibility

As mentioned in the introductory section, one of the main consequences of mass

shootings is the fear they generate in the public. Just as bad is the more obvious effect: the loss of

valuable, innocent lives. Operating under the assumption mass shootings are caused by a lack of

attachment, the way to reduce the occurrence of them and their casualties is to promote the

formation of proper attachment.

On an individual scale, people can make a difference by trying to form even stronger

bonds with their children. This could involve reducing the use of electronic devices, scheduling

regular family time, and/or other activities that highlight human interaction. Teaching children to

utilize positive thinking may also help create secure attachment patterns by potentially increasing

their overall resiliency and the level of happiness in their home.

Society’s role in encouraging strong, healthy attachment bonds is very similar to that of

individuals; it needs to advocate for reducing technology use and increasing the amount of time

people spend interacting in person. Two ways to do this could be through awareness campaigns

and technology-free celebrations.

Conclusion

Available data indicates that the incidence of mass shootings is steadily increasing.

Evidence supports the idea that this is caused by decreasing amounts of secure attachment

patterns being formed in young children. To solve this, individuals and society as a whole could
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promote human interaction to try to foster healthier attachment patterns and thereby reduce the

number of mass shootings.

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References

Berkowitz, B., Lu, D., & Alcantara, C. (2018, June 29). The terrible numbers that grow with

each mass shooting. The Washington Post. Retrieved from

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/national/mass-shootings-in-

america/?utm_term=.e1e94b77c1dd

Dillon, L. (2013, August 19). Mass shootings in the United States: An exploratory study of the

trends from 1982-2012, ix-14. Retrieved from

http://mars.gmu.edu/jspui/bitstream/handle/1920/8694/Dillon_thesis_2013.pdf?sequence

=1&isAllowed=y

Gun violence: Facts and statistics. (2018, May). Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research

Institute. Retrieved from https://injury.research.chop.edu/violence-prevention-

initiative/types-violence-involving-youth/gun-violence/gun-violence-facts-

and#.W2NGiNVKiM8

Turunen, T., Haravuori, H., Punamäki, R-L., Suomalainen, L., & Marttunen, M. (2014). The role

of attachment in recovery after a school-shooting trauma. European Journal of

Psychotraumatology, 5(1). doi:10.3402/ejpt.v5.22728