James Svolos, Odalys Urena, and Tekhara Watson

Penn State Erie, The Behrend College

Terror Management Theory Awareness of ones’ mortality 9/11 Terrorist attack Osama Bin Laden

o 2004 presidential election.

Landau, M., Solomon, S., Arndt, J. et al. (2008)

Terror Management Theory Cultural Worldview Validation

o Purpose of life/personal valueo What happens after one dies

Enhance Self-esteemo Adhering to culture’s idealso Serve a higher purpose

Mortality Salience InductionMortality Salience Please describe the thoughts and emotions that the

thought of your own death arouses in you. Write down as specifically as you can, what you

think will happen to you as you physically die and once you are physically dead.

Control Please describe the thoughts and emotions that the

thought of taking an exam arouses in you. Write down as specifically as you can, what happen

to you as you take the exam.

Mortality Salience Charismatic Leadership

Cohen, F., Solomon, S., et al. (2006)

Cling to the in-groupCastano, E. (2008)

Devalue civil rightsNorenzayan, A., Dar-Nimrod, I., Hanse, G., Proulx, T. (2009)

Pro-Social Behavior

Cooperative BehaviorPrisoner’s Dilemma

○ Cooperate○ Defect

Tremayne, K., & Curtis, G.J. (2006)

Research Questions Induction with Mortality Salience will result in more pro-

social behaviors than induction with the Control.

Participants in the Morality Salience group will donate more money to charity (especially to the in-group) than the Control.

Procedure

DEATH EXAM DEATH EXAM

FILLER TASKS

PRISONER’S DILEMMA

PAYMENT

Charitable Donations

Boys and Girls Club of Erie

Hope for Africa

Boys and Girls Club of Erie

Cooperative Behaviors

t (62) = 3.04, p = .003

N = 64

Group Effect

Charitable DonationsN = 28

Research Questions Mortality Salience results in more cooperative

behaviors

The Morality Salience group did not donate significantly more money to charity.

Discussion

LimitationsEcological validity

○ Lab Setting vs. Field study

Future researchExperiment 2

Influence of Mortality Salience Personal Political Global

HOW THIS EFFECTS YOU

Thank You

Questions?