Terror Management Theory and Self-Esteem: Effects on Psychopathology
Terror Management Theory
The terror management theory posits that people build character and culture to shield themselves from the potential for anxiety caused by the awareness of their mortality (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012). Humans fear death, and from that fear, “the urge for immortality becomes an underlying role in human behavior and their social psychology” (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012, p. 401). There are two notable features that humans have that yield to mortal terror: first, being a high degree of self-awareness and second, being the capacity to think in terms of past, present, and future (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012; Schimel, Landau & Hayes, 2008). Because of this capacity, …show more content…
A person’s worldviews are developed by cultural influences in childhood as the basis of the psychological security is built upon the care and knowledge of their parents or caregivers (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012; Schimel et al., 2008). Children internalize parental values of good and bad (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012, pg. 402) by learning what their parents approve or disprove of. Through these experiences, they “associate being good with feelings of worth and security and being bad with feelings of dread and worthlessness” (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012 pp. 402-403; Schimel et al., 2008). Over time, cultural influences beyond parental values become apart of their sources for safety and security. These cultural worldviews along with feelings of personal worth, Self-esteem, becomes an anxiety-buffering function (Greenberg & Arndt, …show more content…
The most direct empirical research for this hypothesis has shown that (Schimel et al., 2008) when increasing self-esteem through positive social feedback, individuals experience lower levels of anxiety when watching the graphic footage. In contrast, to those who did not receive positive feedback (Greenberg et al., 1992; Schimel et al.,2008; Pyszczynski et al., 2004).
According to the TMT, another proposition states that reminders of death (mortality salience; MS) increase negative reactions to those who disagree with their worldviews and an increase in positive reactions to those who agree (Maxfield, John & Pyszczynski, 2014, pp. 37-38). By boosting self-esteem or supporting an individual’s cultural worldviews, MS effects defense and self-esteem striving are reduced (Schimel et al., 2008; Greenberg & Arndt, 2012; Maxfield et al., 201, pp. 37-38). Further research on TMT, shows that threats to one’s cultural worldview or self-esteem elicit an increase in death-related thoughts (Maxfield et al., 2014, pp. 37-38). While positive feedback boosts both cultural worldviews and self-esteem result in lower death-related thoughts (Burke, Martens, & Faucher, 2010; Maxfield et al., 2014, pp.
Terror Management Theory
The terror management theory posits that people build character and culture to shield themselves from the potential for anxiety caused by the awareness of their mortality (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012). Humans fear death, and from that fear, “the urge for immortality becomes an underlying role in human behavior and their social psychology” (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012, p. 401). There are two notable features that humans have that yield to mortal terror: first, being a high degree of self-awareness and second, being the capacity to think in terms of past, present, and future (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012; Schimel, Landau & Hayes, 2008). Because of this capacity, …show more content…
A person’s worldviews are developed by cultural influences in childhood as the basis of the psychological security is built upon the care and knowledge of their parents or caregivers (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012; Schimel et al., 2008). Children internalize parental values of good and bad (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012, pg. 402) by learning what their parents approve or disprove of. Through these experiences, they “associate being good with feelings of worth and security and being bad with feelings of dread and worthlessness” (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012 pp. 402-403; Schimel et al., 2008). Over time, cultural influences beyond parental values become apart of their sources for safety and security. These cultural worldviews along with feelings of personal worth, Self-esteem, becomes an anxiety-buffering function (Greenberg & Arndt, …show more content…
The most direct empirical research for this hypothesis has shown that (Schimel et al., 2008) when increasing self-esteem through positive social feedback, individuals experience lower levels of anxiety when watching the graphic footage. In contrast, to those who did not receive positive feedback (Greenberg et al., 1992; Schimel et al.,2008; Pyszczynski et al., 2004).
According to the TMT, another proposition states that reminders of death (mortality salience; MS) increase negative reactions to those who disagree with their worldviews and an increase in positive reactions to those who agree (Maxfield, John & Pyszczynski, 2014, pp. 37-38). By boosting self-esteem or supporting an individual’s cultural worldviews, MS effects defense and self-esteem striving are reduced (Schimel et al., 2008; Greenberg & Arndt, 2012; Maxfield et al., 201, pp. 37-38). Further research on TMT, shows that threats to one’s cultural worldview or self-esteem elicit an increase in death-related thoughts (Maxfield et al., 2014, pp. 37-38). While positive feedback boosts both cultural worldviews and self-esteem result in lower death-related thoughts (Burke, Martens, & Faucher, 2010; Maxfield et al., 2014, pp.