Terror management theory (TMT; Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszczynski, 1991) Human beings are explicitly aware of the Human beings are explicitly aware of the

inevitability of deathinevitability of death Death can occur at any timeDeath can occur at any time Death creates the potential for overwhelming Death creates the potential for overwhelming

terrorterror This terror is reduced by two psychological This terror is reduced by two psychological

phenomena: Cultural Worldviews and Self-phenomena: Cultural Worldviews and Self-EsteemEsteem

Cultural worldview & Self-esteem Cultural worldview Cultural worldview :: Humanly constructed Humanly constructed

beliefs about the nature beliefs about the nature of reality shared by of reality shared by individuals in a groupindividuals in a group

Provides a conception of Provides a conception of the universe the universe

Imbues the world with Imbues the world with order, meaning, and order, meaning, and permanence. permanence.

Sets standards of valued Sets standards of valued behavior behavior

Minimizes death anxiety Minimizes death anxiety byby promises of promises of immortality (symbolic immortality (symbolic and/or literal) to those and/or literal) to those who live up to these who live up to these standards standards

Cultural worldview & Self-esteemSelf-esteemSelf-esteem: t: the he

perception that one is perception that one is a person of value in a a person of value in a world of meaningworld of meaning

Obtained if standards Obtained if standards of valued behavior of valued behavior are satisfiedare satisfied

Self-esteem buffers Self-esteem buffers death anxiety, by death anxiety, by making you feel like a making you feel like a person of value within person of value within your cultural your cultural worldview. You feel a worldview. You feel a part of something part of something bigger than yourself; bigger than yourself; something that will last something that will last long after you are gone.long after you are gone.

Overview of TMT researchSUPPORT FOR TMT HAS BEEN SUPPORT FOR TMT HAS BEEN OBTAINED IN OVER 250 OBTAINED IN OVER 250 PUBLISHED EXPERIMENTS BY PUBLISHED EXPERIMENTS BY INDEPENDENT RESEARCHERS INDEPENDENT RESEARCHERS IN 9 COUNTRIES BASED ON IN 9 COUNTRIES BASED ON TWO BASIC HYPOTHESES:TWO BASIC HYPOTHESES:

THE SELF-ESTEEM HYPOTHESIS

IF SELF-ESTEEM SERVES AN ANXIETY IF SELF-ESTEEM SERVES AN ANXIETY BUFFERING FUNCTION,BUFFERING FUNCTION,

Then raising self-esteem should reduce Then raising self-esteem should reduce anxiety in response to stressful situationsanxiety in response to stressful situations

Studies have shown that dispositionally high Studies have shown that dispositionally high or momentarily elevated self-esteem reduces: or momentarily elevated self-esteem reduces: self-reported anxiety, defensive distortions, self-reported anxiety, defensive distortions, and physiological arousal in response to and physiological arousal in response to stressful situationsstressful situations

The mortality salience (MS) hypothesis: If If worldview and self-esteem provide worldview and self-esteem provide

protection from the potential for protection from the potential for death-related anxietydeath-related anxiety

Then Then reminders of death should reminders of death should intensify efforts to uphold worldview intensify efforts to uphold worldview and self-esteem.and self-esteem.

Mortality Salience Paradigm

Mortality salienceMortality salience manipulation typically consists of two open- manipulation typically consists of two open-ended questions pertaining to death: “Describe the feelings that the ended questions pertaining to death: “Describe the feelings that the thought of your own death arouses in you”; and (b) Describe what thought of your own death arouses in you”; and (b) Describe what you think will happen to you as you physically die and once you are you think will happen to you as you physically die and once you are dead.” dead.”

Control: Parallel questions about unpleasant but non-lethal eventsControl: Parallel questions about unpleasant but non-lethal events Mortality salienceMortality salience also engendered by: also engendered by: fear of death scales, videos fear of death scales, videos

of gory automobile accidents, standing in front of funeral parlors, of gory automobile accidents, standing in front of funeral parlors, and subliminal death primes have obtained similar results and subliminal death primes have obtained similar results

Mortality salienceMortality salience effects appear to be unique to concerns about effects appear to be unique to concerns about death, control conditions asking people to ponder anxiety-provoking death, control conditions asking people to ponder anxiety-provoking but non-lethal things like dental pain, exams, social exclusion & but non-lethal things like dental pain, exams, social exclusion & paralysis – do not produce these effects.paralysis – do not produce these effects.

Mortality Salience Effects 1

Rosenblatt et al. (1989) published the first study of the Rosenblatt et al. (1989) published the first study of the effects of mortality salience on social attitudes.effects of mortality salience on social attitudes.

Hypotheses:Hypotheses: If Moral Values represent Cultural If Moral Values represent Cultural

WorldviewsWorldviewsAnd prostitution is a violation of moral And prostitution is a violation of moral

valuesvaluesThen, Under the mortality salience paradigm Then, Under the mortality salience paradigm Judges should be more punitive as a way to Judges should be more punitive as a way to

bolster their Worldview Defense Mechanismbolster their Worldview Defense Mechanism

Mortality Salience Effects 1

Twenty-two municipal court judges from Twenty-two municipal court judges from Tucson, Arizona completed a series of Tucson, Arizona completed a series of personality questionnairespersonality questionnaires

Half were randomly assigned to the MS Half were randomly assigned to the MS condition and answered two open-ended condition and answered two open-ended questions about deathquestions about death

The judges were then given a hypothetical case The judges were then given a hypothetical case in which they were asked to set bond for accused in which they were asked to set bond for accused prostitutes. prostitutes.

Mortality Salience Effects 1

Those judges in the mortality salience group Those judges in the mortality salience group set bond at an average of $455 set bond at an average of $455

Those judges in the control group set bond at Those judges in the control group set bond at an average of $50an average of $50

The judges who had been reminded of their The judges who had been reminded of their death were much harsher in their punishment death were much harsher in their punishment of a person who had violated rules of social of a person who had violated rules of social worldview than were judges for whom death worldview than were judges for whom death had not been made salient. had not been made salient.

Mortality Salience Effects 2

““One very common source of differences One very common source of differences between people that has been recurrently linked between people that has been recurrently linked to prejudice, conflict, and hostility is that of to prejudice, conflict, and hostility is that of religious belief and affiliation. Throughout religious belief and affiliation. Throughout history, armed conflicts, ranging from minor history, armed conflicts, ranging from minor skirmishes to full-scale wars, have been waged skirmishes to full-scale wars, have been waged between the proponents of various religious between the proponents of various religious conceptions of reality.” conceptions of reality.” (Greenberg et al; (Greenberg et al; 1990) 1990)

Mortality Salience Effects 2

The Effects of Mortality Salience on Reactions to those The Effects of Mortality Salience on Reactions to those who Threaten or Bolster the Cultural who Threaten or Bolster the Cultural Worldview Worldview (Greenberg et al; 1990)(Greenberg et al; 1990)

TMT: ETMT: Enthusiasm for conflicts among those who nthusiasm for conflicts among those who actually end up doing the killing and the dying is fueled actually end up doing the killing and the dying is fueled by the threat implied to each group's cultural anxiety-by the threat implied to each group's cultural anxiety-buffer by the existence of the other group.buffer by the existence of the other group.

The mere existence of others with similar beliefs The mere existence of others with similar beliefs validates one's faith in one's cultural worldviewvalidates one's faith in one's cultural worldview

The mere existence of others with different beliefs The mere existence of others with different beliefs threatens that faiththreatens that faith..

Mortality Salience Effects 2

HypothesesHypotheses:: Mortality salience will increase liking for Mortality salience will increase liking for

a member of one's own religious group a member of one's own religious group (Christians) (Christians)

Mortality salience will decrease liking for Mortality salience will decrease liking for a member of a religious out-group (Jews)a member of a religious out-group (Jews)

Mortality Salience Effects 2

To test these hypotheses:To test these hypotheses: Twenty-six female and 20 male Christian Twenty-six female and 20 male Christian

introductory psychology students introductory psychology students 1- Filled out some personality questionnaires1- Filled out some personality questionnaires2- Were given personality information 2- Were given personality information

supplied by two other subjects that they supplied by two other subjects that they would use to evaluate those subjects (a would use to evaluate those subjects (a Christian and a Jew) Christian and a Jew)

Mortality Salience Effects 2

Independent Variable’sIndependent Variable’s:: Demographic information: religious affiliations Demographic information: religious affiliations ““Who am I?” questionnaireWho am I?” questionnaire Janis–Field self-esteem inventoryJanis–Field self-esteem inventory 10 social issue statements10 social issue statements Participants randomly assigned to MS condition Participants randomly assigned to MS condition

or no conditionor no condition

Mortality Salience Effects 2

Experimenter returned with;Experimenter returned with; The two completed versions supposedly filled out by The two completed versions supposedly filled out by

two other participantstwo other participants There were relatively similar responses on the There were relatively similar responses on the

background questionnaire and the Who Am I? background questionnaire and the Who Am I? QuestionnaireQuestionnaire

On the social issues questionnaire, one version had On the social issues questionnaire, one version had politically liberal responses and one had relatively politically liberal responses and one had relatively conservative responses. Different attitudes were conservative responses. Different attitudes were presented so that the targets would seem to be real, fairly presented so that the targets would seem to be real, fairly different persons. different persons.

Mortality Salience Effects 2

Background questionnaire—Jew or Christian Background questionnaire—Jew or Christian Who Am I? Questionnaire—Jew or Christian Who Am I? Questionnaire—Jew or Christian Social issues questionnaire of two supposed Social issues questionnaire of two supposed

male subjects—Liberal or Conservativemale subjects—Liberal or Conservative Two sets of initial impressions assessments and Two sets of initial impressions assessments and

an envelope—to be filled out by participant an envelope—to be filled out by participant Interpersonal Judgment ScaleInterpersonal Judgment Scale

20 traits—5 fit negative Jewish Stereotypes20 traits—5 fit negative Jewish Stereotypes

Mortality Salience Effects 2

Two sets of initial impressions assessments and an Two sets of initial impressions assessments and an envelope—to be filled out by participant envelope—to be filled out by participant

Interpersonal Judgment ScaleInterpersonal Judgment Scale 20 traits—5 fit negative Jewish Stereotypes20 traits—5 fit negative Jewish Stereotypes

Subjects were instructed to evaluate the subjects Subjects were instructed to evaluate the subjects and to fill out the first impression assessment as and to fill out the first impression assessment as soon as they finished reading about the first subject soon as they finished reading about the first subject

subjects rated each target immediately after reading subjects rated each target immediately after reading the description of that person.the description of that person.

Mortality Salience Effects 2

Results:Results:Trait Ratings Trait Ratings In Mortality Salience condition--Christian was In Mortality Salience condition--Christian was

rated significantly more positively than the Jewrated significantly more positively than the Jew In Mortality Salience condition--Jew rated In Mortality Salience condition--Jew rated

significantly more negatively than in control significantly more negatively than in control conditioncondition

MS Defense Mechanisms:Mortality Salience has been demonstrated to Mortality Salience has been demonstrated to

increase: increase: affiliation with sports teamsaffiliation with sports teams a desire for conspicuous consumptiona desire for conspicuous consumption charitable donationscharitable donations alleviation of depressive and anxiety alleviation of depressive and anxiety

disordersdisorders close relationshipsclose relationships sexual relationships sexual relationships body imagebody image voting preferencesvoting preferences

Anti-Semitism Studies

Materials:Materials: Instruction page: Bogus Pipeline or Prejudice obvious Instruction page: Bogus Pipeline or Prejudice obvious

manipulationmanipulation Mortality Salience or Exam Salience QuestionsMortality Salience or Exam Salience Questions Anti-Semitism ScaleAnti-Semitism Scale Support for Israel ScaleSupport for Israel Scale Support for Israel and Palestinian ScalesSupport for Israel and Palestinian Scales Feeling Thermometer: JewFeeling Thermometer: Jew DemographicsDemographics

Anti-Semitism Studies

Results:Results:Anti-Semitism Scale: Anti-Semitism Scale: Under Mortality Salience and Bogus Pipeline Under Mortality Salience and Bogus Pipeline

participants report more Anti-Semitic Sentimentparticipants report more Anti-Semitic Sentiment

Support for Israel Scale:Support for Israel Scale: Under Mortality Salience and Bogus Pipeline Under Mortality Salience and Bogus Pipeline

participants report less Sentiment in support of Israelparticipants report less Sentiment in support of Israel Sig. Correlation between the twoSig. Correlation between the two

Today’s Map StudyBased on the Sig. Correlation found between the Anti-Based on the Sig. Correlation found between the Anti-

Semitism and the Support for Israel Scale we Semitism and the Support for Israel Scale we Hypothesized:Hypothesized:

1- Anti-Zionism is the “New Anti-Semitism”1- Anti-Zionism is the “New Anti-Semitism” 2- One holding Anti-Semitic/Zionistic views will 2- One holding Anti-Semitic/Zionistic views will

view the country of Israel looming larger that it is in view the country of Israel looming larger that it is in actualityactuality

3- Under Mortality Salience, people will estimate 3- Under Mortality Salience, people will estimate Israel to be larger than under Exam Salience Israel to be larger than under Exam Salience

4- This Effect will not be found for any other 4- This Effect will not be found for any other countrycountry

Today’s Map Study

Materials:Materials: Instruction page: Bogus Pipeline Instruction page: Bogus Pipeline Mortality Salience or Exam Salience InductionMortality Salience or Exam Salience Induction Mood ScaleMood Scale Individual country and population assessmentIndividual country and population assessment Feeling ThermometerFeeling Thermometer Anti-Semitism/Zionism “Opinion Poll”Anti-Semitism/Zionism “Opinion Poll” News Media QuestionnaireNews Media Questionnaire DemographicsDemographics