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Thu Mar 3, 2016, 06:01 PM

Nuclear Unicorn (19,497 posts)

Experiment Shows Differences Between Children With Guns in the Home and Those Without

Experiment Shows Differences Between Children With Guns in the Home and Those Without

An experiment held in Iowa by police officers and parents had some interesting findings.

Police put a fake gun which could not be fired in a room and then let eight children into the room. It took a child just 15 seconds to find the gun. With parents and law enforcement watching, the children were passing the fake weapon around, aiming it and attempting to shoot it.

While the result might not be surprising to most, the children who didn't touch the weapon were children whose families have guns inside the home and have explained the dangers and responsibilities of guns.

http://fox17.com/news/nation-world/experiment-shows-differences-between-children-with-guns-in-the-home-and-those-without

Video at the link (though it is cringe-inducing).

Children can and should be taught to respect firearms.

16 replies, 2957 views

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16 replies	Author	Time	Post
Experiment Shows Differences Between Children With Guns in the Home and Those Without (Original post)	Nuclear Unicorn	Mar 2016	OP
This sounds more anecdotal to me than experimental	rock	Mar 2016	#1
I will admit 8 children is not a broad sampling but it should serve as a starting point for	Nuclear Unicorn	Mar 2016	#3
This explains why more children...	Jerry442	Mar 2016	#2
So abstinence education works?	Nuclear Unicorn	Mar 2016	#4
So, in your mind, guns and sex are the same.	Jerry442	Mar 2016	#5
No. Fear and fear are the same.	Nuclear Unicorn	Mar 2016	#7
no but the attraction to the	gejohnston	Mar 2016	#8
Certainly children should be taught firearm safety whether there are guns in their home or not. (nt)	enough	Mar 2016	#6
Of course they should.	beevul	Mar 2016	#16
We had loaded guns in the house growing up	2pooped2pop	Mar 2016	#9
Just to clarify ...	Straw Man	Mar 2016	#10
Its been five decades	2pooped2pop	Mar 2016	#11
I see.	Straw Man	Mar 2016	#13
No. parents would have killed us if they had known.	2pooped2pop	Mar 2016	#14
Did they ever teach you anything about gun safety?	Straw Man	Mar 2016	#15
"Stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult."	Brickbat	Mar 2016	#12

Response to Nuclear Unicorn (Original post)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 06:08 PM

rock (13,218 posts)

1. This sounds more anecdotal to me than experimental

Meaning I'm unconvinced by the findings.

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Response to rock (Reply #1)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 06:16 PM

Nuclear Unicorn (19,497 posts)

3. I will admit 8 children is not a broad sampling but it should serve as a starting point for

further inquiry. Still, the children from gun owning families were 2 for 2.

It's the families that teach their children to fear sex that are the ones most surprised by teenage pregnancies. Fear is not a teacher, respect is. You can teach children to respect guns, sex, drugs and a host of other potential pitfalls in a way that avoids fear mongering and better enables them to use their best judgment.

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Response to Nuclear Unicorn (Original post)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 06:15 PM

Jerry442 (1,265 posts)

2. This explains why more children...

...are accidentally shot in houses without guns.

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Response to Jerry442 (Reply #2)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 06:17 PM

Nuclear Unicorn (19,497 posts)

4. So abstinence education works?

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Response to Nuclear Unicorn (Reply #4)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 06:32 PM

Jerry442 (1,265 posts)

5. So, in your mind, guns and sex are the same.

But we knew that already, didn't we.

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Response to Jerry442 (Reply #5)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 06:43 PM

Nuclear Unicorn (19,497 posts)

7. No. Fear and fear are the same.

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Response to Jerry442 (Reply #5)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 06:45 PM

gejohnston (17,502 posts)

8. no but the attraction to the

prohibited and mysterious. Same concept regardless of the subject.

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Response to Nuclear Unicorn (Original post)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 06:42 PM

enough (12,867 posts)

6. Certainly children should be taught firearm safety whether there are guns in their home or not. (nt)

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Response to enough (Reply #6)

Fri Mar 4, 2016, 12:06 PM

beevul (12,194 posts)

16. Of course they should.

But getting people who are not pro-gun to begin with, to agree, is like pulling hydras teeth.

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Response to Nuclear Unicorn (Original post)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 07:40 PM

2pooped2pop (5,420 posts)

9. We had loaded guns in the house growing up

We played with them without parents knowledge.

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Response to 2pooped2pop (Reply #9)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 08:18 PM

Straw Man (6,159 posts)

10. Just to clarify ...

We had loaded guns in the house growing up

We played with them without parents knowledge.

You are saying that your parents left loaded guns unsecured in your home? How old were you when you were able to access and "play" with them?

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Response to Straw Man (Reply #10)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 08:31 PM

2pooped2pop (5,420 posts)

11. Its been five decades

Things were different then. There was a loaded shotgun behind the front door as long as I can remember. A pistol was hidden in the bedroom but we figured it out. The earliest I can remember handling them was somewhere between _13 and 17.

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Response to 2pooped2pop (Reply #11)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 09:07 PM

Straw Man (6,159 posts)

13. I see.

I think 13 is old enough to responsibly handle firearms, if you've been taught basic safety.

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Response to Straw Man (Reply #13)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 09:18 PM

2pooped2pop (5,420 posts)

14. No. parents would have killed us if they had known.

I'm sure though that there are many people who keep loaded guns in their house today and think that the kids don't know where they are. I'd bet they are wrong. Just hiding them is not enough.

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Response to 2pooped2pop (Reply #14)

Fri Mar 4, 2016, 12:44 AM

Straw Man (6,159 posts)

15. Did they ever teach you anything about gun safety?

I'm sure though that there are many people who keep loaded guns in their house today and think that the kids don't know where they are. I'd bet they are wrong. Just hiding them is not enough.

Absolutely agree. Firearms in houses with children should be securely locked away or in direct control of an adult.

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Response to Nuclear Unicorn (Original post)

Thu Mar 3, 2016, 08:56 PM

Brickbat (19,339 posts)

12. "Stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult."

People don't want to try it because it's an NRA talking point, I guess.

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