Sharing is Scaring: Online and Offline Behaviours Shaping Fear of Crime in Dublin
Authors
Hoey Dolan, Seán
Issue Date
2025.16.12
Degree
BA in Psychology
Publisher
Dublin Business School
Rights holder
Rights
Open Access
Abstract
Fear of crime is associated with a range of negative outcomes, not only in terms of individual and community quality of life but also with broader economic and political implications. This study employed a quantitative, correlational survey design to examine the factors contributing to Dublin residents’ fear of crime in the city centre. Validated psychological scales were used to measure fear of crime, social media engagement, and sense of community alongside age, gender and Irish or non-Irish identification. The final sample consisted of 341 Dublin residents (148 male, 193 female, 257 Irish nationals, 84 non-Irish; mean age = 50.72). Results indicated that participants who reported higher levels of affective engagement with social media, characterised by emotionally driven interaction, also reported significantly greater fear of crime. Conversely, higher behavioural engagement, such as using social media for relaxation during downtime, was associated with significantly lower fear scores. These findings underscore the differential effects of divergent modes of social media engagement, emphasising the need for future research to treat social media as a multi-faceted construct by investigating how instead of merely how often. This study advocates for the integration of media literacy education to inform users of the psychological impacts of emotionally charged content. It also highlights the potential value of regulatory policies aimed at promoting ethical platform design that empowers users to manage their exposure to fear-inducing content, mitigate misinformation and engage more mindfully with digital media.