Of Mice and Men, and Objectified Women: A Terror Management Account of Infrahumanization

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 763-776 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Goldenberg ◽  
Nathan Heflick ◽  
Jeroen Vaes ◽  
Matt Motyl ◽  
Jeff Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Human Nature ◽  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
The Self ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Management Function ◽  
Mortality Increase ◽  
Objectification Of Women ◽  
Self Objectification

This article offers terror management theory (TMT) as a conceptual lens through which the process of infrahumanization can be viewed. TMT suggests that people are threatened by the awareness of their mortal, animal nature, and that by emphasizing their symbolic, cultural—and hence, uniquely human—existence, they can help quell this threat. The article reviews empirical evidence demonstrating that reminders of mortality increase efforts to see the self and in-groups as more uniquely human. In addition, it is posited that, as an ironic consequence of defensive efforts to rid the self and certain others of any connection to animal nature, people are sometimes stripped of their human nature. The study presents evidence that the objectification, and self-objectification, of women can be viewed from this perspective and concludes that both emphasizing people’s uniquely human qualities and viewing them as objectified symbols can be understood as serving a terror management function.

Whistling in the Dark: Exaggerated Consensus Estimates in Response to Incidental Reminders of Mortality

1996 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 332-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Pyszczynski ◽  
Robert A. Wicklund ◽  
Stefan Floresku ◽  
Holgar Koch ◽  
Gerardine Gauch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
The United States ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
The Public ◽  
Funeral Home ◽  
Mortality Increase ◽  
German Constitution

Terror management theory posits that cultural worldviews function to provide protection against anxiety concerning human vulnerability and mortality and that their effectiveness as buffers against such anxiety is maintained through a process of consensual validation Two field experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that incidental reminders of one's mortality increase the need to believe that others share one's worldview In both studies, passersby on city streets were asked to estimate the extent of social consensus for culturally relevant attitudes, 100 m before passing a funeral home, 100 m after passing a funeral home, or directly in front of a funeral home In the first study, conducted in Germany, subjects were asked to estimate the percentage of Germans who shared their opinions about a proposal to change the German constitution to restrict the immigration of foreigners, in the second study, conducted in the United States, subjects were asked to estimate the percentage of Americans who shared their opinions about the teaching of Christian values in the public schools In both studies, subjects who held the minority position on the issue estimated greater consensus for their opinions when interviewed directly in front of a funeral home than when interviewed either before or after passing it

scholarly journals Introduction to the COVID-19 Second Special Issue

2020 ◽  
pp. 002216782096641
Author(s):  
Zenobia Morrill
Keyword(s):  
Meaning Making ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
The Self ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
The Social ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Collective Meaning

This introduction describes an original collection of articles that advance Existential-Humanistic (EH) psychology in a project of collective meaning-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. From contributions that apply terror management theory to political and ideological division, to those that intricately examine concepts of the self and radical emotional dwelling in psychotherapy, this issue spans a wide range of topics relevant to EH scholars and beyond. This special issue also explores phenomenological questions. The articles within not only reconfigure ways to be that align with humanistic commitments, but challenge readers to examine the social systems that shape these possibilities. For this reason, this introduction connects the applications of EH psychology included in this issue to other disciplines that have intimately analyzed subjectivities related to existential reckoning, injustice, and liberation.

In Defense of the Body: The Effect of Mortality Salience on Female Body Objectification

2005 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelly Grabe ◽  
Clay Routledge ◽  
Alison Cook ◽  
Christie Andersen ◽  
Jamie Arndt
Keyword(s):  
Female Body ◽  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Body ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Body Objectification ◽  
Self And Other ◽  
Self Objectification

Previous research has illustrated the negative psychological consequences of female body objectification. The present study explores how female body objectification may serve as a defense against unconscious existential fears. Drawing from terror management theory, an experiment was designed to test the potential functionality of female body objectification. Men and women were primed to think about either their own mortality or an aversive control topic, and levels of body objectification were then assessed for both self- and other (women)-objectification. Findings supported the hypothesis that priming mortality would increase both self- and other-objectification among women, and self-objectification among those who derive self-esteem from their body. Implications for this research are discussed.

The Evil Animal: A Terror Management Theory Perspective on the Human Tendency to Kill Animals

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 743-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uri Lifshin ◽  
Jeff Greenberg ◽  
Colin A. Zestcott ◽  
Daniel Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Animal Rights ◽  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Political Orientation ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Management Function ◽  
Human Tendency ◽  
Sense Of Power

This research tested whether support for the killing of animals serves a terror management function. In five studies, death primes caused participants to support the killing of animals more than control primes, unless the participants’ self-esteem had been elevated (Study 4). This effect was not moderated by gender, preexisting attitudes toward killing animals or animal rights, perceived human–animal similarity, religiosity, political orientation, or by the degree to which the killing was justified. Support for killing animals after subliminal death primes was also associated with an increased sense of power and invulnerability (Study 5). Implications and future directions are discussed.

scholarly journals Do Materialistic Consumers Buy More During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

2022 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Seong-Yuen Toh ◽  
Siew-Wai Yuan ◽  
Ranita Kaur
Keyword(s):  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Uncertainty Avoidance ◽  
The Self ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Material Consumption ◽  
Asian Context ◽  
Relationship Of

This study investigates the mediated moderating relationship of self-concept clarity, materialism, and social consumption motivation in the context of Covid-19 pandemic based on the terror management theory. The findings suggest that Malaysian consumers have high self-concept clarity about their materialistic orientation. This materialistic orientation may be of hedonistic-utilitarian nature that is internally directed for self-satisfaction and not exclusively directed externally in material consumption to portray an image to others. Furthermore, this study posits that cultural factors like collectivism and uncertainty avoidance delimits the applicability of terror management theory in Malaysia, suggesting that the development of the theory draw heavily from Western ideology of individualism not directly relevant in the Asian context. Finally, this study offers an understanding of the self-concept clarity from the Asian context, addressing the the appeal by Dunlop (2017) to investigate the construct of self-concept clarity particularly in non-Western context.

Vicarious Belongingness

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Kneer ◽  
Inna Hemme ◽  
Gary Bente
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Close Relationships ◽  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Mortality Salience ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Mere Exposure ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Cultural Worldview

There is empirical evidence that mortality salience (MS) influences effects of advertisements. For instance, mere exposure to high-value goods can enhance cultural worldview and self-esteem and thus act as a buffer against existential anguish. Besides cultural worldview and self-esteem, close relationships can help to reduce existential anguish. Drawing upon terror management theory (TMT), the current study addressed the question of whether MS combined with emotional commercials influences perception of the ads as well as further behavior. We compared the effects of socioemotional versus informational ads after MS induction, measuring perceived emotionality of the ads, evaluation of ads and products, recall, and buying intention. Significant effects were found in all outcome variables, except for recall, supporting the hypothesis that under MS induction, commercials with a socioemotional content can enhance advertisement impact.

Terrorism, Violence, and Hope for Peace

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 318-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Pyszczynski ◽  
Zachary Rothschild ◽  
Abdolhossein Abdollahi
Keyword(s):  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
The Self ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Perceived Injustice ◽  
Management Processes ◽  
Cultural Worldviews ◽  
Terrorist Violence

Terror management theory (TMT) is used to explore psychological forces that act to promote or discourage support for terrorism and violent counterterrorist policies. According to TMT, domination, humiliation, and perceived injustice threaten the self-esteem and cultural worldviews that protect people from death-related anxiety; the result may be hostility and violence directed against the threatening out-group as a way of defusing this threat. We review research documenting the role of terror management processes in promoting and discouraging support for terrorism and violent counterterrorist policies and discuss the implications of this research. The studies we review suggest that the same psychological forces that promote support for terrorist violence also promote support for aggressive counterterrorist policies and that these forces can be redirected to encourage support for more peaceful solutions on both sides of the current conflict between Islamic radical groups and Western nations.

Perceived Similarity of the Self to Animals, Creativity, and Anxiety—: A Terror Management Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 014616722110632
Author(s):  
Uri Lifshin ◽  
Jeff Greenberg ◽  
Stylianos Syropoulos ◽  
Bernhard Leidner ◽  
Peter J. Helm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
The Self ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Perceived Similarity ◽  
Personality Variable ◽  
Human Motivation

According to terror management theory, humans avoid death anxiety by embedding themselves within cultural worldviews that allow them to perceive themselves as more than mortal animals. However, individuals also differ in their trait-like tendency to dissociate from other animals. In six studies, we tested whether individuals who perceive themselves as more similar to animals (high-perceived similarity of the self to animals [PSSA]) invest more in creativity for terror management than low-PSSA individuals, but are also more vulnerable to experiencing anxiety and existential concerns. Supporting our hypotheses, PSSA was associated with investment in creativity and arts, especially after death primes (Studies 3 and 4). High-PSSA individuals had heightened trait anxiety and death-thought accessibility (Studies 5 and 6), and showed increased state anxiety following a negative feedback about their creativity (Study 6). Findings highlight the role of PSSA as a personality variable predicting human motivation and emotion.

The role of mortality concerns in separation and connection effects: comment on Lee and Schwarz

2021 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan E. Horner ◽  
Jeff Greenberg
Keyword(s):  
Terror Management Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Management Theory ◽  
Death Awareness ◽  
Management Function ◽  
Potential Link ◽  
Research Findings

Abstract Using terror management theory and research findings, we expand the framework provided by Lee and Schwarz to highlight the potential link between separation and connection effects to existential, death-related concerns. Specifically, we address how death awareness may motivate separation and connection behaviors and how engaging in these behaviors may serve a protective terror management function.

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