Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat
Published on: September 12, 2014
Failure causes fear: the effect of self-esteem threat on death-anxiety
1North Dakota State University, Department of Psychology, Fargo, ND 58108-6050, USA. Clay.Routledge@ndsu.edu
Abstract:
According to terror management theory (TMT; Greenberg, Pyszczynski, 1986), self-esteem protects people from anxiety associated with the knowledge of certain mortality. A number of studies provide evidence consistent with this assertion, but no studies have experimentally examined the effect of threatened self-esteem on death-anxiety. In the current study, self-esteem was manipulated and death-anxiety measured. A self-esteem threat increased death-anxiety relative to a self-esteem boost and non-self threat control condition.
Related Concept Videos
Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Need for Self-Esteem
Benefits of Self-Esteem
Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
Self-Discrepancy Theory
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback

