J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Mar;84(3):511-26.

Hiding in the crowd: can mortality salience promote affiliation with others who oppose one's worldviews?

Source

Department of Social Psychology, Free University Amsterdam, The Netherlands. a.wisman@psy.vu.nl

Abstract

The present research highlights affiliation defenses in the psychological confrontation with death. In 3 experiments, it was found that mortality salience led to increased affiliation strivings, as indicated by a greater preference for sitting within a group as opposed to sitting alone. Mortality salience actually led to increased affiliation with a worldview-threatening group (Experiments 1-2), even when affiliation with the group forced participants to attack their own worldviews (Experiment 3). Taken together, the findings support a distinct role of affiliation defenses against existential concerns. Moreover, affiliation defenses seem powerful enough to override worldview validation defenses, even when the worldviews in question are personally relevant and highly accessible.

PMID:: 12635913; [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Publication Types, MeSH Terms

Publication Types

MeSH Terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources

Supplemental Content

Related citations

From the grave to the cradle: evidence that mortality salience engenders a desire for offspring. [J Pers Soc Psychol. 2005]
From the grave to the cradle: evidence that mortality salience engenders a desire for offspring.
Wisman A, Goldenberg JL. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2005 Jul; 89(1):46-61.
Self-affirmation and mortality salience: affirming values reduces worldview defense and death-thought accessibility. [Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2005]
Self-affirmation and mortality salience: affirming values reduces worldview defense and death-thought accessibility.
Schmeichel BJ, Martens A. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2005 May; 31(5):658-67.
Terror management and tolerance: does mortality salience always intensify negative reactions to others who threaten one's worldview? [J Pers Soc Psychol. 1992]
Terror management and tolerance: does mortality salience always intensify negative reactions to others who threaten one's worldview?
Greenberg J, Simon L, Pyszczynski T, Solomon S, Chatel D. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1992 Aug; 63(2):212-20.
Review Why do people need self-esteem? A theoretical and empirical review. [Psychol Bull. 2004]
Review Why do people need self-esteem? A theoretical and empirical review.
Pyszczynski T, Greenberg J, Solomon S, Arndt J, Schimel J. Psychol Bull. 2004 May; 130(3):435-68.
Review A dual-process model of defense against conscious and unconscious death-related thoughts: an extension of terror management theory. [Psychol Rev. 1999]
Review A dual-process model of defense against conscious and unconscious death-related thoughts: an extension of terror management theory.
Pyszczynski T, Greenberg J, Solomon S. Psychol Rev. 1999 Oct; 106(4):835-45.

See reviews... See all...

Cited by 2 PubMed Central articles

THE DEFENSIVE NATURE OF BENEFIT FINDING DURING ONGOING TERRORISM: AN EXAMINATION OF A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF ISRAELI JEWS. [J Soc Clin Psychol. 2009]
THE DEFENSIVE NATURE OF BENEFIT FINDING DURING ONGOING TERRORISM: AN EXAMINATION OF A NATIONAL SAMPLE OF ISRAELI JEWS.
Hall BJ, Hobfoll SE, Canetti D, Johnson RJ, Galea S. J Soc Clin Psychol. 2009 Jan 1; 28(8):993-1021.
Renovating the Pyramid of Needs: Contemporary Extensions Built Upon Ancient Foundations. [Perspect Psychol Sci. 2010]
Renovating the Pyramid of Needs: Contemporary Extensions Built Upon Ancient Foundations.
Kenrick DT, Griskevicius V, Neuberg SL, Schaller M. Perspect Psychol Sci. 2010 May; 5(3):292-314.

Related information

Related Citations
Calculated set of PubMed citations closely related to the selected article(s) retrieved using a word weight algorithm. Related articles are displayed in ranked order from most to least relevant, with the “linked from” citation displayed first.
Cited in PMC
Full-text articles in the PubMed Central Database that cite the current articles.

Recent activity

Clear Turn Off Turn On

Hiding in the crowd: can mortality salience promote affiliation with others who ...
Hiding in the crowd: can mortality salience promote affiliation with others who oppose one's worldviews?
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Mar ;84(3):511-26.

PubMed
Stereotypes and terror management: evidence that mortality salience enhances ste...
Stereotypes and terror management: evidence that mortality salience enhances stereotypic thinking and preferences.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 1999 Nov ;77(5):905-26.

PubMed
The anxiety-buffering function of close relationships: evidence that relationshi...
The anxiety-buffering function of close relationships: evidence that relationship commitment acts as a terror management mechanism.
J Pers Soc Psychol. 2002 Apr ;82(4):527-42.

PubMed
Identification of IRAK1 as a risk gene with critical role in the pathogenesis of...
Identification of IRAK1 as a risk gene with critical role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Apr 14 ;106(15):6256-61. Epub 2009 Mar 27 .

PubMed
The working hours of hospital staff nurses and patient safety.
The working hours of hospital staff nurses and patient safety.
Health Aff (Millwood). 2004 Jul-Aug ;23(4):202-12.

PubMed

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

PubMed

Display Settings:

Send to: