Final exam pt 4 Flashcards
Death at different life stages
Birth-2 Years
- feelings of pain, anger, sadness due to separation from people they attached to
3-5 years
- ‘magical thinking’ death not understood as final, irreversible, universal
5-10 years
- greater understanding biologically and universally
(ex. death of pets)
10-16 years
- awareness of biological death, understanding of cultural meanings attached to death
Childrens reactions to death
- children often excluded from conversations about death
- can lead to death anxiety
- avoid euphemisms (passed away, gone to heaven)
Dying trajectory
course a person follow over time as they move through the dying process
may be slow or sudden
Closed vs Suspected awareness
Closed = context in which person is dying does not realize they are dying, while family, caregivers may be aware (maybe cultural beliefs)
Suspected = context in which dying person may begin to suspect they have not been provided with all relevant info (ex. tests)
DABDA (meaning + person)
Kubler Ross (coping w/ dying)
Denial - Not Me!
Anger - Why me?
Bargaining - Yes me… but
Depression - Poor me
Acceptance - I give in
Critique of Kubler Ross stages model
- generalization
- not everyone feels this way
- no real evidence
- coping is not linear
- doesn’t give social context
Death anxiety
unique ability to be aware of mortality
significant motivating factor in life
need to seek meaning in life, death presents a challenge to meaning
TMT
Terror Management Theory
primary motivator of human action is to manage terror provoked by awareness
less fear of death in older adults than younger
avoid thoughts of death
embrace worldviews to achieve ‘symbolic immortality’
Defense Mechanisms of TMT
Proximal defense:
- avoid thoughts
- see as problem for later
Distal Defense:
- embrace cultural worldviews
- religion beliefs
- leave a legacy
Gender expectations and Emotional Vulnerability
- frequently associated with weakness for men
