Abstract Perceived neighbourhood disorder is commonly linked to Fear of crime and Avoidance behaviour, yet the mechanisms underlying this association remain contested. Using data from a representative population survey ( N = 1,496) conducted in a large West German city, this study examines latent relationships between neighbourhood disorder, cognitive and affective fear-related processes, and Avoidance behaviour using a combination of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The analyses supported a multidimensional structure of Fear of crime and perceived neighbourhood disorder. The relationship between disorder and Avoidance behaviour was primarily indirect through the components of Fear of crime, whereas the direct effect was small and negative. This remained largely stable after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. The findings suggest that Perceived disorder is associated with Avoidance behaviour mainly through fear-related appraisal processes.
Ernst et al. (Mon,) studied this question.