Open accessExpressions of anxieties are examined in the realms of crime, health
and home safety. We consider protective behaviours that individuals undertake
in each of these realms as potential outlets for the expression of anxiety; the
way in which elements of social context such as age, education and income,
and biographical factors including past experiences, perceived control, and anxieties
about future events contribute to protective behaviours within each realm
is examined. Findings indicate different factors drive precautionary behaviours
for men and women, suggesting gender as a lens through which precautionary
behaviours are taken up. Global anxiety inconsistently predicts precautionary
behaviours — a finding that questions both the utility of and the theoretical significance
of global anxiety. Local (individual) negative experiences within these
realms play an important role in predicting preventative behaviour, although the
impact of negative experiences among the realms and between the sexes is inconsistent.
Light is shed on the relationship between global anxieties and local
expressions suggesting that behaviour may have a far more local element than
might be expected.Ye
