Gender and perceptions of danger

This study examined how gender affects evaluations of potentially dangerous situations, perceptions of risk, and advice given to a potential victim. R esponses of 660 university students (68% female; 52 % Angle, 34% Hispanic) to a multipart questionnaire indicated that gender of the respondent, the p otential aggressor, and the potential victim can all influence evaluations of danger, willingness to use a gun, beliefs about risk, and advice concern ing how to behave in a dangerous situation. As hypothesized responses refle cted stereotypes of greater male aggressiveness, greater female fearfulness , and greater perceived danger for women than for men. Also as predicted, r espondents perceived greater danger to others than to themselves and from s trangers rather than from intimates.