1. Fear of death Flashcards

(10 cards)

1
Q

What does TMT stand for?

A

Terror Management Theory

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2
Q

What is Terror Management Theory?

A

Terror management theory (TMT) attempts to explain a type of defensive human thinking and behaviour that stems from an awareness and fear of death.

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3
Q

What creates terror in TMT?

A

Two main forces together which creates terror – desire for self-preservation and the awareness of death

Use your culture to deal with this

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4
Q

What three hypothesises are associated with TMT?

A
  1. Anxiety-buffering hypothesis
  2. Mortality Salience hypothesis
  3. Death-Thought Accessibility hypothesis
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5
Q

What is the Anxiety-buffering hypothesis?

A
  • Self-esteem acts as an anxiety buffer, e.g. higher esteem leads to lower anxiety
  • If world-views (and self-esteem) serve an anxiety-buffering function, then bolstering these structures should reduce anxiety in threatening situations
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6
Q

What is the Mortality Salience hypothesis?

A
  • Mortality salience is the awareness by individuals that their death is inevitable.
  • If we make people aware of their death, then you are more worthy of your world view
  • If world-views (and self-esteem) buffer from existential terror, then death reminders should increase the need for these psychological structures
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7
Q

What is the Death-Thought Accessibility hypothesis?

A
  • If world-views (and self-esteem) defend from death-related concerns, then threatening these psychological structures should temporarily make death- related thoughts accessible
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8
Q

What alternatives are there to TMT?

A
  • Uncertainty Management Model

- Meaning Maintenance Model

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9
Q

What is the uncertainty management model?

A

Uncertainty, not death, is the core existential motive (Van den Bos, 2009) – life is uncertain. It is not death that is at the core, it is uncertainty

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10
Q

What is the meaning maintenance model?

A

Meaning, not death, is the core motive (Heine et al., 2006) – we are driven to find a sense of meaning in life. When you remind people of death you are threatening their sense of meaning

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