Theory ( TMT ) Adapted from: Russ Webster Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas

1. Terror Management Theory (TMT) Adapted from: Russ Webster Kansas State University Manhattan, Kansas

2. TMT’s Existential Roots • Existential psychology began in reaction to Freud’s theories • Both Freudian and existential psych explore the motivational consequences of human (unconscious) conflicts • However, they differ in which conflicts fundamentally influence human behavior • For Freud we manage sexual conflict; • For existential psychs our search for meaning, freedom, coherence ultimately stemmed from the fear of death

3. TMT Theorists • Jeff Greenberg, Tom Pyszczynski, and Sheldon Solomon were all grad students at University of Kansas in the 1970s • Penned theoretical papers explaining TMT’s principles (1986) • Ernest Becker’s (1976) The Denial of Death cornerstone of theory

4. TMT: Main Tenets • Fear of death is innate & universal and unique to humans • Self-awareness leads to the recognition that death is unstoppable and unpredictable • Fear of death fundamental source of human conflict and anxiety • Death naturally conflicts with our powerful self-preservation and freedom instincts • Ultimate motive: to manage this terror • Thus, TMT holds that human behavior fundamentally demonstrates how we cope or manage this anxiety – this terror – of death;

5. You’ve got to be kidding me? • How often do you really think about death daily? • How can death be responsible for intergroup conflict? • We learn to automatically – that is, unconsciously – repress and manage the fear of death using a “dual-component buffer”: • A) Self-esteem • B) Culture (individualized worldview)

6. Culture & Self-esteem: Terror management mechanisms • It all goes back to childhood, right? • Awareness of death • Before full awareness: “The monster under the bed” • Full awareness not until around 10 – 12 y/o • But from infancy… • Develop relationship between “being good” and having our needs met, anxiety alleviated • Develop a sense of the self (i.e., self-esteem) through these caregiver-child transactions • Explains our obsession with high self-esteem • From childhood… • Adults edify children in cultural standards and beliefs • Culture provides meaning, permanence, stability • Link between fulfilling cultural standards (“being good”) and alleviation of anxiety then developed • Culture may serve as a proxy caregiver

7. 1. The Anxiety Buffer hypothesis • …states that high self-esteem, derived from upholding parental and cultural standards, shields individuals from experiencing (death) anxiety • Empirical research says… • Greenberg et al. (1992): High self-esteem lessened self-reported anxiety… • in anticipation of electric shocks • in response to graphic video • in response to receiving information detailing a short life expectancy • Self-esteem also moderated P’s physiological response in anticipation of electric shocks

8. 2. Mortality Salience hypothesis… • …states that when people are reminded of death (mortality salience), they will use various terror management (defense) mechanisms to rid death thoughts from the mind to return to a composed psychological state • Seeing that culture is vital to ward off death anxiety, people should defend their worldviews after mortality salience (i.e., elicit worldview defense) • Worldview defense can either involve • a) criticizing others’ disparate worldviews or • b) praising others who uphold your worldview

9. First empirical studies… • Rosenblatt et al. (1989): • Completed mortality questionnaire (write about your death) or not • Judges read case brief and then allotted bail to the alleged prostitute • $ amount ranged from $100 - $999 • Results: • After mortality salience: $455 vs. • Control condition: $50

10. Rosenblatt et al. (1989) cont. • Also added “heroine condition” in which P’s allotted reward amount to female who apprehended thief ($1,000 - $4,000) • After mortality salience: $3,476 vs. • Control condition: $1,112

11. Mortality Salience: Results • MS not only affects attitudes… • e.g., increased derogation of various outgroup members (e.g., Christians vs. Jews) • But also overt behavioral responses… • Increased aggression against worldview transgressors (e.g., allotted more hot sauce to targets who criticized one’s political views) • Decreased affiliation with dissimilar others (e.g., where one chooses, if at all, to sit with worldview threats) • And death thought accessibility • BUT ONLY AFTER A DELAY

12. Your worldview sucks! I’m going to live forever! DELAY Proximal Effects Distal Effects

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