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Reducing State Anxiety Using Working Memory Maintenance
Published on: July 19, 2017
Desire to work as a death anxiety buffer mechanism
1School of Management, Ono Academic College, <location>Israel</location>
Experimental Psychology
|November 12, 2014
Summary
Work serves as a psychological buffer against death anxiety, a key finding in terror management theory. This effect was observed across cultures, highlighting the universal role of work in managing existential concerns.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Existential Psychology
Background:
- Terror Management Theory (TMT) posits that humans manage existential anxiety by investing in cultural worldviews and striving for self-esteem.
- Work is a significant domain for self-worth and cultural value, potentially serving as a buffer against death anxiety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the death anxiety buffering function of work within the framework of terror management.
- To explore the moderating role of culture on the relationship between mortality salience and work-related psychological processes.
Main Methods:
- Four studies were conducted utilizing mortality salience manipulations and measuring psychological variables.
- Participants' desire to work, accessibility of death-related thoughts, and out-group derogation were assessed.
- Studies involved participants from two cultures with differing work values.
Main Results:
- Mortality salience increased the desire to work.
- Fulfilling the desire to work reduced death-related thought accessibility and mitigated out-group derogation following mortality salience.
- Obstacles to work actualization increased death-related thought accessibility.
- Findings were consistent across both cultures examined.
Conclusions:
- The desire to work functions as a significant psychological buffer against death anxiety, consistent with Terror Management Theory.
- Cultural differences in work values did not alter the fundamental death anxiety buffering role of work.
- Work provides a mechanism for managing existential concerns and maintaining psychological stability.
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