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P014. Can Autobiographical Memories of Events Perceived as Threatening, Shape Fear of Crime? A Cross-Sectional Study – Preliminary Results
Thu, September 4, 6:45 to 8:00pm, Other Venues, Poster VenueAbstract
Fear of crime can impact individuals' quality of life by influencing cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes. However, it does not always arise from a direct experience of victimization; rather, it can also be shaped by how individuals recall situations perceived as threatening. Considering this, the present study investigates: What role do autobiographical memories play in the construction of fear of crime? To explore this question, an experimental approach was adopted to analyze how autobiographical memories of events perceived as threatening influence fear of crime, as well as avoidance and protective behaviors. Participants—216 young adults (aged 18-30)—were asked to describe a specific autobiographical memory of an event in which they perceived a potential risk of victimization, even if the crime did not actually occur. The study will examine the phenomenological characteristics of these memories alongside psychological variables (e.g., avoidance and self-protection behaviors, victimization, personality traits, event centrality) and sociodemographic factors (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, educational level, socioeconomic status). Statistical analyses will include correlations, hierarchical regressions, mediation and moderation models, as well as cluster analyses. The expected findings suggest that autobiographical memories with greater vividness and emotional intensity will be associated with higher levels of fear of crime and that variables such as event centrality may moderate this relationship. The results of this study may provide new insights into the relationship between autobiographical memory and fear of crime, with important implications for both psychological intervention strategies and security policy design.