Lecture 8 Terror management theory

Question 1

What is terror management theory based on?

Answer 1

Based on the fact that humans are unique to other animals in that they are aware of their inevitable death (and that it cannot be anticipated or controlled). This creates overwhelming terror or fear.

Question 2

What does terror management theory propose?

Answer 2

The terror and fear caused by our awareness of inevitable death is unconsciously managed by the creation of systems within society

Question 3

What does TMT argue?

Answer 3

1. Conscious thoughts of death dealt with rationally (proximal defences) (e.g. road safety, work safety, news…)
2. Subconscious thoughts of death dealt through two part-cultural anxiety-buffering system (distal defences) (Cultural worldviews and self-esteem)

Question 4

What is the Cultural Worldviews component of the Cultural anxiety-buffering system?

Answer 4

Cultural worldviews are symbolic constructions of reality that provide our life with a sense of order, stability, permanence and immortality. (e.g. religion, culture. country…)

Question 5

What are the two components of the Cultural anxiety-buffering system?

Answer 5

• Cultural worldviews

- Self esteem

Question 6

What are the types of immortality?

Answer 6

• Literal (e.g. heaven, afterlife)

- Symbolic (Shared group identity through cultural worldviews, e.g. nation, culture, family..etc)

Question 7

How is the cultural anxiety-buffering system inherently fragile? (how does it cause people to separate into groups)

Answer 7

There are many different and competing worldviews, social agreement is needed to instil confidence and belief in worldviews. As a result, humans tend to gravitate to those who share their worldviews nd away from those who attack it.

Question 8

How does TMT propose that we attain high self-esteem (how we feel about ourselves)?
note: starts from childhood

Answer 8

1. We need to believe in the validity of our worldviews (social consensus/agreement)
2. We need to believe that we have lived up to the standards set by our worldviews

Question 9

What is existential terror?

Answer 9

Fear caused by our awareness of our inevitable deaths

Question 10

How is existential terror managed?

Answer 10

Believing in a cultural worldview and doing things to bolster self-esteem will help manage existential terror

Question 11

What is the Anxiety buffer hypothesis?

Answer 11

If a psychological structure protect against death-related anxiety, then bolstering that structure should decrease existential anxiety and, conversely, weakening the protective structure should increase such anxiety

Question 12

What is the Mortality salience hypothesis?

Answer 12

If a psychological structure provides protection against the fear of death, then reminding individuals of their mortality should increase their reliance on that structure

Question 13

What are the two hypotheses regarding the protective frameworks we build for TMT?

Answer 13

1. Mortality salience hypothesis

2. Anxiety buffer hypothesis

Question 14

What is one of the tests used to examine the mortality salience hypothesis?

Answer 14

• 22 judges, exposed to either death reminders or control condition
• Those with the death reminders gave significantly higher bonds ($450) than those of the control condition ($50)

Question 15

When was TMT created by and by whom?

Answer 15

1989 by Jeff Greenberg, Tom Pyszczynski, & Sheldon Solomon. TMT was based on Ernest Becker’s ideas.