White men who fear poverty are more attached to their guns, Baylor study finds

A Baylor study says white males with economic anxiety are more likely to give moral and emotional importance to firearms than other groups. See which Houston ZIP codes have the most gun owners. A Baylor study says white males with economic anxiety are more likely to give moral and emotional importance to firearms than other groups. See which Houston ZIP codes have the most gun owners. Photo: Erich Schlegel/Getty Images Photo: Erich Schlegel/Getty Images Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close White men who fear poverty are more attached to their guns, Baylor study finds 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

A new Baylor study has found that white males with economic anxiety tend to feel more "morally and emotionally attached to their guns" than other demographics.

The study, led by two sociology doctorate professors at the university, also found that the same group tends to view violence against the government as sometimes justifiable.

In a Baylor news release, co-author Carson Mencken, Ph.D., said that white males coping with financially difficult times view firearms as "morally and emotionally restorative" to society's problems.

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"Guns and their inherent power restore in some people a sense of control stripped away by the economic consequences of globalism," Mencken said. "The ability to protect their property, families and communities is restorative."

In addition, the study found that white males are the only segment of the population that view guns this way. Researchers said that nonwhite gun owners are less likely to place as much importance on guns, even if they face economic hardships.

In order to conduct the study, researchers used Gallup poll data from 1,572 respondents across 48 states.

See which Houston ZIP codes have the highest rates of gun ownership.

Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.