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Death anxiety in Japan and Australia
J F Schumaker1, W G Warren, G Groth-Marnat
1Psycho-Social Health Studies, University of Newcastle, Waratah, NSW, Australia.
The Journal of Social Psychology
|August 1, 1991
Summary
Japanese individuals exhibit higher death anxiety than Australians, challenging cultural mitigation theories. Age correlates positively with death anxiety across groups.
Area of Science:
- Cross-cultural psychology
- Thanatology
- Psychometric assessment
Background:
- Previous research suggested Eastern cultural attitudes mitigate death anxiety.
- The Templer Death Anxiety Scale (Templer, 1970) is a widely used measure.
- Understanding cultural variations in death anxiety is crucial for mental health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare death anxiety levels between Japanese and Australian populations.
- To investigate potential gender differences in death anxiety within these cultures.
- To examine the relationship between age and death anxiety in both samples.
Main Methods:
- 121 Japanese and 139 Australian subjects completed the Templer Death Anxiety Scale.
- Statistical analyses were performed to compare scores between cultural groups and genders.
- Correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between age and death anxiety.
Main Results:
- Japanese subjects reported significantly higher death anxiety than Australian subjects.
- Australian women showed higher death anxiety than Australian men; no gender difference in Japanese sample.
- A significant positive correlation was observed between age and death anxiety scores.
Conclusions:
- Findings contradict the notion that Eastern cultures inherently reduce death anxiety.
- Culture significantly influences death anxiety, with complex interactions.
- The study highlights limitations in the current conceptualization of death anxiety.