A Terror Management Perspective on the Role of Death-Related Anxiety in Psychological Dysfunction |
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Authors: | Molly Maxfield Samantha John Tom Pyszczynski |
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Institution: | 1. University of Colorado , Colorado Springs mmaxfiel@uccs.edu;3. University of Colorado , Colorado Springs |
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Abstract: | Building on previous existential theorizing, terror management theory provides a unique approach to conceptualizing the development, maintenance, and impact of psychological disorders. The theory suggests that awareness of mortality creates the potential for anxiety, which is managed by an anxiety-buffering system consisting of one's cultural worldview, self-esteem, and interpersonal attachments. The pursuit of meaning, personal value, and interpersonal connections that motivates much human behavior is driven, in part, by the need to control this potential for death-related anxiety. This article provides an overview of terror management theory and a discussion of its implications for understanding clinical conditions, along with a review of research exploring the roles of death-related anxiety and the anxiety-buffering system in anxiety disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression. |
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