Abstract

MURATORI, Marcela  and  ZUBIETA, Elena. Subjective insecurity as a mediator of social well-being and emotional climate. Rev. psicodebate: psicol. cult. soc. [online]. 2016, vol.16, n.2, pp.95-120. ISSN 24516600.  http://dx.doi.org/10.18682/pd.v16i2.602.

Multiple studies reveal that not only the impact of negative factors such as being a witness or victim of a crime but a high perception of insecurity, understood as perceived risk and fear of crime, have important social consequences and condition, somehow, people´s quality of life and social integration. In the context of a high sense of mistrust and the increasing insecurity, this research analyzes the relationship between the factors associated with insecurity and the perception of social context. To this end, a correlational,  non-experimental design study was conducted. The sample, not probabilistic intentional, consisted of 516 college students (44% women; 56% men; MAge = 23.04; SD = 4.08), residents of the City of Buenos Aires and surroundings. The data show that, despite low levels of fear of crime, participants perceive a high probability of becoming crime victims in the near future, reason why they would adopt self-protective behaviors. In addition, most of the participants admitted having been a direct victim of a crime, even higher percentage with respect to indirect victimization. While the results show relatively high levels of social well-being, a negative emotional climate prevails. Relations between social well-being, the perception of emotional climate, victimization, fear of crime and perceived risk are observed. Moreover, these factors along with self-protective behaviors mediate the relationship between victimization and some of the dimensions of perceived social context. It is concluded that, beyond the objective insecurity, which should be controlled and ideally reduced, it is necessary to deepen the study of subjective insecurity, given its effects on the quality of life of people

Keywords : subjective insecurity; perceived risk; fear of crime; social context; social well-being; emotional climate.