Terror Management Theory: Implications for Understanding Prejudice, Stereotyping, Intergroup Conflict, and Political Attitudes

Abstract

Terror management theory posits that to maintain psychological security despite the awareness of personal mortality, humans must maintain faith in cultural worldviews. These worldviews provide ways for humans to believe they are significant enduring beings in a world of meaning rather than mere animals fated only to obliteration upon death. We review basic support for terror management theory and research exploring the implications of terror management theory for understanding prejudice, stereotyping, intergroup conflict, and political attitudes. This research shows that when the psychological need to defend these worldviews is heightened by reminders of death (mortality salience), prejudice, stereotyping, and support for charismatic leaders and aggression against outgroups is increased. Terror management concerns also lead targets of prejudice to disidentify with their ingroup and confirm negative stereotypes of their group. We conclude by considering the implications of terror management theory and research for the alleviation of prejudice and intergroup conflict.

How Is Existential Threat Related to Intergroup Conflict? Introducing the Multidimensional Existential Threat (MET) Model

“…TMT has posited that the need to regulate personal death is a central human motivation, and terror management research has indeed shown that mortality salience influences a variety of social cognitions and behaviors (e.g., Greenberg and Kosloff, 2008). This research has also demonstrated that mortality salience typically leads to more belligerent political attitudes (e.g., Hirschberger and Pyszczynski, 2010).…”

The role of mortality awareness in hero identification

“…Consider previous TMT studies finding mortality reminders exacerbate religiosity for those partisan to different religions (Vail et al, 2010), enhance risky driving for those who gain selfesteem from being a fast driver (Taubman Ben-Ari, Florian, & Mikulincer, 1999), and result in greater political affiliation (Greenberg & Kosloff, 2008). Future research might examine whether figures central to these value systems e.g., Jesus, Michael Schumacher, and political party leaders, are seen as more heroic, and are more closely integrated with the self, perhaps enhancing self-esteem, after mortality reminders.…”

“Danger, Will Robinson!” The challenges of social robots for intergroup relations

“…What effects will these new types of sexual behavior and identity have on human interaction and reproduction? Such questions are also likely to arouse anxiety about death, and as people try to manage that anxiety, it could lead to maladaptive and even pathological behavior (Pyszczynski, Solomon, & Greenberg, ), such as increased prejudice and discrimination (Goodwin, Kaniasty, Sun, & Ben‐Ezra, ; Greenberg & Kosloff, ). As Ferrari et al () have argued, when the boundaries between humans and robots become blurred, people will feel their distinctiveness as humans threatened.…”