Decisions to react after mass shootings: exploring negative affect, relational trust, and public behavioral intentions toward the National Rifle Association

Abstract

ABSTRACT Situated in the context of crises, the present study examines stakeholders’ reactions, including negative affect such as fear and anxiety, relational trust, and public behavioral intentions, toward the National Rifle Association (NRA) of America after the Florida Parkland shooting. To test the proposed theoretical model, we conducted a national survey with 603 NRA stakeholders living in the USA. Using structural equation modeling procedures, we found that a high level of negative affect activated publics’ behavioral intentions, while reducing their relational trust toward the NRA. Furthermore, relational trust could lead to information seeking about the NRA as well as accommodative intentions such as cooperating with the NRA to address gun violence issues. This study enriches crisis communication literature and has important implications for crisis managers working at non-profit organizations as well.