Fear from a distance: testing a new model of psychological distance and fear of crime

Figures & data

Table 1. Trope and Liberman’s (2010) construal level theory of psychological distance.

Close events Construed at a low level	Distant events Construed at a high level
Concrete, vivid, context-dependent	Abstract, vague, limited context
Now, soon	Later, never
Here, nearby	Elsewhere, far away
To me, to people I know	To others, to people I don't know
Likely, realistic	Unlikely, unrealistic

Figure 1. Theoretical model of psychological distance and worry about crime. Note. +/− denotes hypothesised direction of relationships among latent variables.

Table 2. Demographic characteristics for participants (N = 719).

Characteristic	n	%
Gender
Woman	423	58.8%
Man	296	41.2%
Sexuality*
Heterosexual or straight	233	32.4%
Gay or homosexual	7	1.0%
Lesbian	1	0.1%
Bisexual	8	1.1%
Pansexual	2	0.3%
Asexual	6	0.8%
Queer	2	0.3%
I use a different term	3	0.4%
Relationship Status*
Single	168	23.4%
In a relationship	150	20.9%
Married	314	43.7%
Widowed	20	2.8%
Separated	17	2.4%
Divorced	56	7.8%
Highest Education Level
Did not complete year 12	67	9.3%
Completed year 12 or equivalent	165	22.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	269	37.4%
Master’s Degree	113	15.7%
Doctorate Degree	27	3.8%
Other^	78	10.8%
Country of Birth
Australia	539	75.0%
England	62	8.6%
India	1	0.1%
New Zealand	30	4.2%
China	1	0.1%
Italy	2	0.3%
Philippines	1	0.1%
South Africa	6	0.8%
Malaysia	3	0.4%
Other	74	10.3%

Note. Demographic information can only be reported for participants who provided responses to the questions above. * Denotes participants could select multiple options. ^ ‘Other’ included trade certificates I through IV.

Figure 2. Hypothesised measurement model of psychological distance from crime.

Figure 3. Hypothesised structural regression model of psychological distance from crime and worry about crime.

Figure 4. CFA results. Note. *** Denotes statistically significant result (p<.001). AVE_{Psychological distance}=.65; AVE_{Temporal distance}=.61; AVE_{Spatial distance}=.62; AVE_{Social distance}=.60 AVE_{Hypothetical distance}=.61.

Figure 5. Structural Regression Results. Note. Measurement model not shown. *** Denotes statistically significant result (p<.001).

Trope, Y., & Liberman, N. (2010). Construal-level theory of psychological distance. Psychological Review, 117(2), 440–463. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018963

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Data availability statement

Due to the nature of this research, participants of this study did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data is not available.