Terror Management Theory of Self Esteem
Fear of Death Leads To Undertaking Culturally Acceptable Behaviour
Nov 6, 2009
Terror Management Theory states that the function of self-esteem is to reduce the anxiety of death by relating to and acting in ways that support a culturally based world view.
Greenberg, Pyszczynski and Solomon (1986) identified two components of self esteem relating to cultural beliefs and threat defences. Similar to the Sociometer Theory, Terror Management Theory is an evolutionary based psychological theory of human self-esteem.
Terror Management Theory and the Cultural World view
According to Greenberg, Pyszczynski and Solomon (1986), cultural beliefs, symbols and values are important to self-esteem as they provide individuals with a sense of permanence and reality and provide an opportunity for immortality. Social situations which provide an opportunity for the cultural world view of an individual to be questioned can be a source of anxiety and a threat to self-esteem (Greenberg, Pyszczynski and Solomon, 1986).
Such threatening situations may only exist at a symbolic level however they can provide a negative affect to the self-esteem of the threatened individual (Greenberg, Pysczcynski and Solomon, 1986). Greenberg, Pyszczynski and Solomon (1986) also noted that threats were not limited to public events and that private awareness of failures could lead to negative affects in self-esteem.
Development of Self-Worth and Self-Consciousness
Self-worth begins to develop in childhood and initially the sense of self-worth comes when a child meets the behaviour requirements set down by its parents. As self-consciousness develops, the child learns that feeling valued leads to pleasant outcomes and the avoidance of unpleasant or negative outcomes (Greenberg, Pysczcynski and Solomon, 1986).
Terror Management Theory suggests that from these early interactions develops the individual’s sense of self-esteem which is used to decrease anxiety of mortality as an individual feels that provided they are acting in accordance with the cultural standards of their social group, the individual is of worth (Greenberg, Solomon, Pyszczynski, Rosenblatt, Burling, Lyon, Simon & Pinel, 1992).
The Evidence Base for Terror Management Theory
Greenberg, et al (1992) experimentally tested the concepts of Terror Management Theory by undertaking three experiments to test the hypothesis that increasing self-esteem leads to a reduction in anxiety. The research found that increased self-esteem did reduce self-report anxiety and physiological arousal in relation to threats.
The results of Harmon-Jones, Simon, Greenberg, Pyszczynski, Solomon and McGregor’s 1997 study of the concept of mortality salience supported the Terror Management Theory principle that high self esteem reduces anxiety caused by fear of death.
Terror Management Theory is an evolutionary based psychological theory of self-esteem explaining that the purpose of self-esteem is to assist individual human beings negate the fear of mortality through relating to and acting in ways which promote a cultural world view.
Sources:
Greenberg, J., Pyszczynski, T., & Solomon, S. (1986). "The causes and consequences of a need for self-esteem: a terror management theory." In R. F. Baumeister (Ed), Public Self and Private Self (pp. 189-212). New York: Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Greenberg, J., Solomon, S., Pyszczynski, T., Robsenblatt, A., Burling, J., & Lyon, D., et al. (1992). "Why do people need self esteem? Converging evidence that self-esteem serves an anxiety-buffering function." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63(6), 913-922.
Harmon-Jones, E., Simon, L., Greenberg, J., Pyszczynski, T., Solomon, S., & McGregor, H. (1997). "Terror management theory and self-esteem: evidence that increased self-esteem reduces mortality salience effects." Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72(1), 24-36.
 |
