National Culture and the Stream Analogy of Lethal Violence

• Published date: 01 August 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/10887679211059764
• Author: Don Soo Chon
• Date: 01 August 2023
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/10887679211059764

Homicide Studies

2023, Vol. 27(3) 338 –360

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DOI: 10.1177/10887679211059764

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Article

National Culture and the

Stream Analogy of Lethal

Violence

Don Soo Chon1

Abstract

This is the first study to explore the relationship between Inglehart and Baker’s

national cultural measures and the stream analogy of lethal violence. Using data for 70

developed and developing countries, the regression analysis indicates that a country

with self-expressionism or secularism is likely to have a high suicide rate relative to its

homicide rate. In contrast, a country with a survivalism or traditionalism orientation

is likely to have a high homicide rate relative to its suicide rate. This study suggests

that national culture is related to the direction of lethal violence (i.e., suicide vs.

homicide).

Keywords

national culture, stream analogy of lethal violence, suicide, homicide, cross-national study

Suicide and homicide have traditionally been studied separately, based on the idea that

suicide is a mental health issue and homicide is a crime problem (Liem et al., 2009).

However, in recent years, a group of researchers (e.g., Chon, 2013, 2016, 2017; He

et al., 2003; Tuttle, 2018) has studied suicide and homicide using the stream analogy

of lethal violence (Unnithan et al., 1994). According to the stream analogy of lethal

violence, suicide and homicide are forms of violence with a common underlying

cause: frustration-aggression (Freud, 1920). Suicide is internalized violence directed

toward oneself, whereas homicide is externalized violence targeted toward another

person. The volume of both types of violence (i.e., suicide and homicide)—the force

of production—is analogous to the volume of a stream. In contrast, the direction of

violence is analogous to the direction of the stream (i.e., the force of direction), which

1Auburn University at Montgomery, AL, USA

Corresponding Author:

Don Soo Chon, Department of Criminal Justice, Auburn University at Montgomery, 7071 Senator Dr.,

Montgomery, AL 36124-4023, USA.

Email: dchon@aum.edu

1059764HSXXXX10.1177/10887679211059764Homicide StudiesChon

research-article2021

Chon 339

conveys the suicide rate relative to the homicide rate. The suicide-homicide ratio

(SHR) was developed to measure the direction of lethal violence; it is the suicide rate

is divided by the combination of the suicide rate and the homicide rate.

Certain researchers who have used the stream analogy of lethal violence have

focused on identifying cultural factors that contribute to the direction of lethal vio-

lence. For example, Chon (2016) finds that nationally aggregated belief religiosity is

negatively associated with suicide rates and positively linked to homicide rates. In

another study, Chon (2017) reports that Muslim countries display lower suicide and

homicide rates than non-Muslim countries. National-level belief religiosity and pre-

dominant religions may be important cultural factors related to the direction of lethal

violence in a country. However, researchers have yet to study national culture beyond

religiosity, predominant religions, or their relationship to the direction of lethal vio-

lence. One reason for the lack of studies on national culture and the direction of lethal

violence is that, until recently, comprehensive measures of national culture had only

been available for a few countries. However, The World Values Survey Association

(2021a) recently combined the European Values Survey (EVS) and the World Values

Survey (WVS). I was therefore able to use measures of national culture for 70 devel-

oped and developing countries collected in 2017. I utilized two major cultural dimen-

sions developed by Inglehart and Baker (2000): survival values (i.e., survivalism)

versus self-expression values (i.e., self-expressionism); and traditional values (i.e.,

traditionalism) versus secular-rational values (i.e., secularism). I examined the rela-

tionship of the two measures of national culture to the national suicide and homicide

rates from the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021a).

Theories and Hypotheses

Stream Analogy of Lethal Violence

The stream analogy of lethal violence has reemerged since the publication of the book,

The Currents of Lethal Violence: An Integrated Model of Suicide and Homicide, edited

by Unnithan et al. (1994), although it has more than 100 years of tradition (Durkheim,

1951/1897; Morselli, 1879). According to Unnithan et al. (1994), suicide and homi-

cide share the common underlying cause of frustration that leads to aggression and

violence (Freud, 1920). If a person directs violence toward themself, it may result in

suicide; if a person targets another individual, it may lead to homicide. Batton and

Ogle (2003) propose an attributional style of blame theory based on social learning

theory (Akers, 1997), suggesting that suicide may occur when one blames oneself for

their failure and directs violence toward themself.

In contrast, homicide may be committed when a killer blames another person for

their failure and directs violence toward that other person. Batton and Ogle (2003)

suggest that individuals learn an attributional style of blame through interaction with

significant others. In other words, individuals have a positive or negative attitude

toward suicide and homicide based on how they have learned to react to frustration.

The social climate and national culture may thus play an essential role in forming