Week 12 - Death and the afterlife

Question 1

characterise the biological processes of death

Answer 1

Top 5 causes of death -

1: Coronary heart disease (men more)
2: Dementia/Alzheimer’s disease (women more)
3: Cerebrovascular disease (women more)
4: Lung cancer (men more)
5: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (men more)

Cellular clock theory -
each cell can only replicate so many times. Each time the telomere (tip of the chromosome) shortens

Free radicals theory -
Unstable oxygen molecules bounce around cell causing damage to the DNA

Euthanasia -
Passive: no more tmt
Active: no tmt and taking steps to hasten death

Question 2

describe beliefs about death and the afterlife

Answer 2

Children believe death is permanent, but not inevitable

Emerging adults have high anxiety around death
Late adults have lowest anxiety around death

Faith -
People of faith have lower death anxiety
People of no faith have higher death anxiety
Across religions:
Death is not the end
The body continues on (in some and others no)
The soul remains in existence
The soul’s destiny depends on morality of life

Question 3

describe the death system and its cultural and historical contexts

Answer 3

.

Question 4

explain the psychological aspects involved in facing one’s own death and the contexts in which people die.

Answer 4

Bereavement: experiencing the loss of a loved one
Grief: intense psychological response that accompanies bereavement

Kubler Ross' 5 stages of grief - 
1: Denial and isolation
2: Anger
3: Bargaining
4: Depression
5: Acceptance
Not all stages are experienced by everyone or in that order.
Was suggested as the stages of someone expecting death (terminal illness) may go through, and although never verified, the stages have guided support for grieving people left behind after death of a loved one.