Mortality Salience Decreases Social Exploration When People Experience Metacognitive Ease Generating Examples of Cultural Value Adherence |
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| Authors: | Ross Rogers Matthew Vess Clay Routledge Jacob Juhl |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, GA, USA;2. Department of Psychology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA;3. Department of Psychology, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA;4. Department of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK |
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| Abstract: | In the present research, we integrated terror management theory with work on metacognitive fluency to examine how mortality concerns affect social exploration motives. We hypothesized that mortality salience would decrease desire to explore novel social interactions only when the feeling of being valued by culturally relevant others was secure. Participants (N = 328) reflected on death or physical pain, then generated 3 (metacognitive-ease) or 12 (metacognitive-difficulty) examples of past behaviors that their peers valued (vs. neutral behaviors). Metacognitive fluency was expected to enhance feelings that existing social bonds were secure. Finally, we assessed participants’ desire to explore novel social interactions. Death thoughts decreased participants’ desire to explore novel social interactions when they experienced “ease” generating examples of culturally valued behavior. |
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| Keywords: | TMT Metacognitive fluency Social exploration. |
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