An Integrative Terror Management Theory Perspective on Media Effects: A Model and 12 Hypotheses for Research

Perloff, Richard M.

doi:10.11114/smc.v4i1.1600

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…In period A, the most prominent allusions were to 'China' (frequency n = 204), in particular 'Wuhan' (104) and 'Beijing' (74), with emphasis on the number of 'cases' (50) and 'people' (41) involved ('millions' (27)) and how 'cities' (41) reacted to 'quarantine' (27). Comparisons were made between the present situation ('now': (31)) and the previous 'SARS' epidemic (32). Rome (26) appeared as an Italian city because its hospital admitted two sick Chinese 'tourists' (18).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, death is the most sensational factor that motivates people to protect themselves, and this is why it is important to study how the news considers this issue. In the area of communication theory aimed at explaining how the various contextual frameworks are constructed and transmitted, Terror Management Theory (TMT) gives a compelling account of why these frameworks are psychologically significant [ 32 , 33 , 34 ]. TMT states that the unique human awareness of death gives rise to potentially debilitating existential terror that is ‘managed’ by embracing cultural worldviews that confer a sense that one is a person of value in a world of meaning (i.e., self-esteem) and therefore eligible for literal and/or symbolic immortality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Journalistic Denial of Death during the Very First Traumatic Period of the Italian COVID-19 Pandemic

Solomon

Rostellato

Testoni

et al. 2021

Behavioral Sciences

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Exactly one year ago, between February and March 2020, the COVID-19 infection went from an epidemic confined to China to a worldwide pandemic that was particularly lethal in Italy. This study examined the media accounts during that period by analysing the representation of death-related constructs in Corriere della Sera, the most widely read newspaper in Italy. A textual and thematic analysis of articles published between period A (epidemic: 23 January–22 February 2020) and period B (pandemic: 23 February–31 March 2020) was conducted using Nvivo-11. A total of 141 articles comprising 48,524 words were collected. The most utilised words and meanings linked to COVID-19 were computed. In the rank distribution, ‘China’ and ’virus’ were the terms most frequently used in both periods. The terms ‘death’ and ‘dead’ were completely absent in period A and appeared in the 535th position in period B. The term ‘dead’ was used primarily to indicate the number of deceased. From a Terror Management Theory perspective, it is possible that the minimal reference to death-related issues was a reflection of death denial and a manifestation of efforts to deny death to manage terror. These findings highlight the ambiguities and ambivalence surrounding any issue pertaining to death; on the one side, undue alarmism may provoke exaggerated reactions, such as moral panic, while on the other denial-based messages that minimise references to mortality may reduce safe behaviour during a pandemic.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Journalistic Denial of Death during the Very First Traumatic Period of the Italian COVID-19 Pandemic

Solomon

Rostellato

Testoni

et al. 2021

Behavioral Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In period A, the most prominent allusions were to 'China' (frequency n=204), in particular 'Wuhan' (104) and 'Beijing' (74), with emphasis on the number of 'cases' (50) and 'people' (41) involved ('millions' [37]) and how 'cities' (41) reacted to 'quarantine' (27). Comparisons were made between the present situation ('now' [41]) and the previous 'SARS' epidemic (32). Rome (26) appeared as an Italian city because its hospital admitted two sick Chinese 'tourists' (18).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Journalistic Denial of Death During the Very First Traumatic Period of the Italian SARS-CoV2 Pandemic

Solomon¹,

Rostellato²,

Testoni³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Exactly one year ago, between February and March 2020, the SARS-CoV2 infection went from an epidemic confined to China to a worldwide pandemic that was particularly lethal in Italy. This study examined media accounts during that period by analysing the representation of death-related constructs in Corriere della Sera, the most widely read newspaper in Italy. A textual and thematic analysis of articles published between period A (epidemic: 23 January–22 February 2020) and period B (pandemic: 23 February–31 March 2020) was conducted using Nvivo-11. A total of 141 articles comprising 48,524 words was collected. The most utilized words and meanings linked to SARS-CoV2 were computed. In the rank distribution, ‘China’ and ’virus’ were the terms most frequently used in both periods. The terms ‘death’ and ‘dead’ were completely absent in period A and appeared in the 535th position in period B. The term ‘dead’ was used primarily to indicate the number of deceased. From a Terror Management Theory perspective, it is possible that the minimal reference to death-related issues was a reflection of death denial and a manifestation of efforts to deny death to manage terror. These findings highlight the ambiguities and ambivalence surrounding any issue pertaining to death; on one side, undue alarmism may provoke exaggerated reactions, such as moral panic, while on the other denial-based messages that minimize references to mortality may reduce safe behaviour during a pandemic.

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“…: [20]). They also go some way to explaining their preference for fear based messages for the ‘other’, with the Third Person Effect suggesting that such messages are perceived to have greater relevance and effectiveness for others than oneself [21]. …”

Section: Method—the Social Marketing Programmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining Social Norms and Social Marketing to Address Underage Drinking: Development and Process Evaluation of a Whole-of-Community Intervention

2017

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Youth alcohol consumption has been steadily declining in Australia, as in other countries; fewer young people are drinking and the age of initiation is increasing. However, young people, their parents and others in their communities continue to believe that adolescent (excessive) drinking is the norm. This perception, and the concurrent misperception that the majority of parents are happy to provide their underage children with alcohol, creates a perceived culture of acceptance of youth alcohol consumption. Young people believe that it is accepted, and even expected, that they will drink; and parents perceive that not providing their adolescent children with alcohol will lead to social exclusion. There is evidence that shifting social norms can have an immediate and lasting effect adolescents’ (and adults’) alcohol related attitudes and behaviors. This paper reports on a novel, community based social marketing intervention designed to correct misperceptions of alcohol related social norms in an Australian community. The project utilized a social marketing approach, informed by the full complement of Andreasen’s social marketing benchmarking criteria, and concurrently targeted adolescents, parents of adolescents and the broader community. Using extensive formative research and multiple evaluation techniques, the study demonstrates that shifts in community social norms are possible and suggests that this approach could be used more widely to support the positive trends in youth alcohol consumption and parental supply.

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An Integrative Terror Management Theory Perspective on Media Effects: A Model and 12 Hypotheses for Research

Cited by 14 publications

References 63 publications

Journalistic Denial of Death during the Very First Traumatic Period of the Italian COVID-19 Pandemic

Journalistic Denial of Death during the Very First Traumatic Period of the Italian COVID-19 Pandemic

Journalistic Denial of Death During the Very First Traumatic Period of the Italian SARS-CoV2 Pandemic

Combining Social Norms and Social Marketing to Address Underage Drinking: Development and Process Evaluation of a Whole-of-Community Intervention

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