A third-person effect approach to understanding residents’ attitude towards casino development

This article presents the first preliminary evidence of the third-person effect in understanding residents’ attitudes toward casino development. Third-person effect refers to a phenomenon whereby people think others are more vulnerable to socially undesirable stimuli than themselves. This study applies the third-person effect in the context of the introduction of a casino to a community and examines how it shapes and relates to residents’ support for its development. Analysing 247 valid responses from an online survey, findings reveal that respondents perceive other individuals in their community to be more affected by the development of a casino than themselves. Moreover, third-person perception also predicts residents’ support for the development of a casino in their community. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.