How We Cope With Death
A theory of terror management.
Posted June 10, 2012 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch
I'm going to die. So are you. So is that guy over there. So is everyone. On that uplifting note, let me share with you a summary of research on a social-psychological theory that was developed over twenty years ago by psychologists Jeff Greenberg (University of Arizona), Sheldon Solomon (Skidmore College) and Tom Pyszczynski (University of Colorado), called Terror Management Theory .
Terror Management Theory (building mostly from the ideas of Ernest Becker) starts with the idea that humans, unlike other animals, face something that is potentially terrifying: the awareness of our own mortality coupled with the desire to live. To paraphrase TMT co-creator Sheldon Solomon, the awareness that you are destined to wither away to nothingness, and in turn are no more significant than a lizard or a potato, is not particularly uplifting. So how do humans cope with this awareness?
From a TMT approach, humans cope with mortality by denying their own mortality, and avoiding thinking about it. They repress the terror, basically (for instance, death thoughts promote an avoidance motivation , lead people to exaggerate the probable length of their life and death thoughts lower after people are reminded of death).
But, this approach inevitably fails to a degree. We know we will die, no matter how much we try and avoid thinking about it. So, humans developed cultural symbols of meaning and value that offer a sense of significance and importance, and ultimately, immortality, when people live up to and sustain the standards of these beliefs (hence the human need for self-esteem ), as a means of coping with their own death.
This immortality can either be symbolic, such as by breaking records or contributing to worldviews and groups that continue beyond one's death, or literal, as in belief in life after death.
A typical TMT study exposes participants to thoughts of their own mortality or another negative, aversive topic (i.e., physical pain, failure, speech anxiety , meaninglessness, embarrassment , uncertainty). Mortality has been manipulated in these studies via open ended questions about death, answering true false questions about death, having participants type the word death as part of an (supposedly) unrelated task, or by having participants complete materials in front of a cemetery.
Research shows, in supporting this theory, for instance, that death reminders cause people to:
Terror management theory posits that people cope with mortality by creating beliefs and values that promise a sense of immortality. And research supports the premise that these beliefs are (a) defended more when people are reminded of death and (b) protect people from mortality concerns.
So next time you vehemently defend your beliefs, perhaps it would help to be aware that you are likely doing so, in part, as a means of keeping your own basic insecurities about death at bay.
Arguments are not just arguments. They are quests for immortality.
Share this post Facebook Bluesky Linkedin Email
There was a problem adding your email address. Please try again.
By submitting your information you agree to the Psychology Today Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy
Nathan Heflick, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom.
Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today.
This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.