Embracing Mortality: A Causal Analysis of Types of Death Attitude on Self-transcendence (original) (raw)
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It is an old philosophical idea that if the future self is literally different from the current self, one should be less concerned with the death of the future self (Parfit, 1984). This paper examines the relation between attitudes about death and the self among Hindus, Westerners, and three Buddhist populations (Lay Tibetan, Lay Bhutanese, and monastic Tibetans). Compared with other groups, monastic Tibetans gave particularly strong denials of the continuity of self, across several measures. We predicted that the denial of self would be associated with a lower fear of death and greater generosity toward others. To our surprise, we found the opposite. Monastic Tibetan Buddhists showed significantly greater fear of death than any other group. The monastics were also less generous than any other group about the prospect of giving up a slightly longer life in order to extend the life of another.
Spiritual transcendence as a buffer against death anxiety
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Terror Management Theory assumes the existence of two basic buffers against mortality salience: self-esteem and worldview. The aim of the current paper is to propose another buffer against mortality salience, namely spiritual transcendence. In the first study, we studied the impact of activation of spiritual transcendence as a moderator of mortality salience. Activating spiritual transcendence reduced the effect of the increase of the level of altruistic tendencies after exposure to mortality salience. In the second study, we replicated this finding based on the research procedures of former TMT research, using essay attacking participants' worldview. Results showed that spiritual transcendence acts as a buffer against mortality salience both among religious and non-religious individuals. Therefore, spiritual transcendence seems to be an additional buffer against mortality salience, independent from worldview and self-esteem, and it could be further examined from TMT perspective.
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This study explores self-related outcomes (e.g., esteem, self-concept clarity, existential wellbeing) as a function of the interaction between self-reported levels of death fear and death denial. Consistent with the idea that positive existential growth can come from individuals facing, rather than denying, their mortality, , we observed that not fearing and denying death can bolster important positive components of the self. That is, individuals low in death denial and death fear evidenced an enhanced self that is valued, clearly conceived, efficacious, and that has meaning and purpose.
About Attitudes towards Death in the Light of Psychology
Folklore: Electronic Journal of Folklore, 2004
The article observes death-consciousness of contemporary people. The decrease of the transcendence thematic in culture is a probable decrease of death thematic. At the same time unfinished grief causes depression and malfunctions. The loss of someone close will always be dramatic, but is the acceptance of our own mortality agreeing with the finality of our own lives? We could outline several criteria as relationships with relatives, life's significance, health which are connected with the the principle that one's death and afterlife correspond to the life they have lived.
2019
It is an old philosophical idea that if the future self is literally different from the current self, one should be less concerned with the death of the future self (Parfit, 1984). This paper examines the relation between attitudes about death and the self among Hindus, Westerners, and three Buddhist populations (Lay Tibetan, Lay Bhutanese, and monastic Tibetans). Compared with other groups, monastic Tibetans gave particularly strong denials of the continuity of self, across several measures. We predicted that the denial of self would be associated with a lower fear of death and greater generosity toward others. To our surprise, we found the opposite. Monastic Tibetan Buddhists showed significantly greater fear of death than any other group. The monastics were also less generous than any other group about the prospect of giving up a slightly longer life in order to extend the life of another.
Omega - Journal of Death and Dying, 2020
The aim of the article is to design a conceptual framework within the theory of psychosocial ego development that will allow for a better understanding and explanation of attitude toward death in the life cycle. The main weaknesses of previous studies on death attitude were examined; Erikson’s concept may help exceed these limitations. The use of the model of hierarchy of defense mechanisms to study death attitude within Erikson’s theory was proposed. The concept of the death complex was mentioned to better conceptualize the problem of attitude toward death as a part of the psychosocial theory. Finally, the evolution of attitude toward death in the consecutive phases of psychosocial development was discussed in the light of the concept of syntonic and dystonic ego features, as well as death complex, defense mechanisms, and psychosexual modes.
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), 2013
Death is beyond one's personal control, generates great concern and anxiety, among human beings. Studies exploring the association between religious attitudes and death attitudes in adolescents and young adults in postmodern society are scarce. This study examines the relationship between five dimensions of attitude toward death (fear of death, death avoidance, neutral acceptance, approach acceptance, and escape acceptance), death anxiety, life satisfaction and meaning, religiosity and selected personal factors among health care staff and students in three teaching hospitals. A total of 230 adolescents and adults both sexes who were willing participated. Diener et al Satisfaction with Life, Steger et al Meaning of Life Questionnaire; Templer's Death Anxiety Scale, Wong's Death Attitude Profile-R and a religious attitude scale were administered. Findings showed students' search for meaning was higher than faculty. An unusual finding of higher Approach acceptance death attitude in students emerged. Correlation analysis revealed that presence of meaning was related to greater life satisfaction in both groups. It was further related to higher religiosity in both groups and higher neutral acceptance of death and lesser death anxiety in students alone. In both groups search for meaning was positively associated with death anxiety. Faculty's search for meaning was positively associated with negative death attitudes and surprisingly one positive death attitude. Death anxiety was more with faculty's advancing age, and was also more when both groups held negative death attitudes. Religiosity was positively associated with death anxiety in students. Further, religiosity was not only positively associated with positive death attitudes of approach acceptance (both groups) and neutral acceptance (faculty) but also with negative attitude of death avoidance (faculty). Death anxiety was more despite both groups embracing approach acceptance death attitude indicating ambivalent death views.
1996
Healthy attitudes toward life and death are associated with psychological health. Furthermore, autonomy, in thought and action, has also been equated with a greater degree of psychological health. The two primary theories used in this study £ire family of origin and Frankl's existential approach organized within logotherapy. To achieve adulthood, one must terminate the hierarchical boundary between one's self and one's parents, i.e., to be an adult one must attain autonomy, which Williamson refers to as personed authority. Williamson also states that to give up our parents in their parenting role "is clear evidence of the approaching death of the parent physically ... and is heavy testimony to the mortality of the present generation" (p. 449). It would then appear that autonomy would correlate with death acceptance in adulthood. To test this assumption, the Life Attitude Profile-Revised (LAP-R) which contains a "Death AcceptJince" subscale was administered along with the Worthington Autonomy Scale, which includes a "Family Loyalty Autonomy" subscale, to classes of undergraduate and graduate students. Pearson r correlations were conducted, followed by canonical correlation analysis to assess the relationship between these two variables and their respective instruments. Twenty-seven statisticsdly significant relationships were found among the various subscales of the two instruments. Additionally, one usable canonical correlation was identified which conta:ined most of the subscales from the two instruments. What does it mean to he a psychologically healthy adult? Various authors have postulated correlates in an attempt to answer this question. These correlates include: death (the awareness of one's mortality), freedom (recognizing that one is free to choose and to act, which is accompanied hy responsihility), isolation (as individuals we are physically unconnected to others), and meaninglessness (m£in must discover meaning in the ahsence of externally imposed meaning). In this study, these, constructs were operationalized using suhscales from the Life
Evaluation of death anxiety and effecting factors in a Turkish sample
Previous research indicates that people with higher levels of self-actualization have lower death anxiety and that negative emotional states are related to death anxiety. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between death anxiety and self-actualization, depression, and trait anxiety. A Turkish sample of 116 undergraduates and adults completed Templer's Death Anxiety Scale, Personal Orientation Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory's Trait Anxiety Form. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that the only significant predictors of death anxiety were trait anxiety and gender. The correlation between death anxiety and self -actualization was found to be negative and statistically significant (p < .001). Women had significantly higher death anxiety compared to men; whereas death anxiety mean scores did not show significant differences by age group and the belief in afterlife. In conclusion, this study supports the assumptions of the existential school regarding the association between death anxiety and self-actualization.