Terror management research has shown that mortality salience leads to especially positive reactions towards similar others and to especially negative reactions towards
different others. The present research consists of six studies that investigate the influence
of salient group norms, salient identities and in-group identification on the effects of
mortality salience. In-group norms of collectivism and individualism were manipulated in
Study I, whereas in-group norms of fairness and discrimination were manipulated in
Study 2. Study 3 manipulated out-group norms of fairness and discrimination. The results
of these studies provided evidence thai the content of salient in-group and out-group
norms moderates the effects of mortality salience on bias. A mortality salience induction
led to greater inter-group bias when salient norms prescribed collectivism and
discrimination, as opposed to individualism and fairness respectively. Support to the view
that death reminders can increase adherence to group norms was also provided. Studies 4-
6 focused on the role of salient identities and group identification on the effects of
mortality salience. Study 4 primed English and student identities in a cross-categorization
setting, whereas Study 5 primed English and European identities in a re-categorization
in
setting. In Study 6, in-group identification was measured. It was demonstrated that salient
social identities moderate the effects of mortality salience on bias, whereas in-group
identification does not. In Study 4, English students for whom mortality was salient
displayed more bias toward Scottish students when the active identity was English as
opposed to students. Study 5 showed that English that were reminded of their mortality
displayed more bias toward French people when the salient identity was English than
when it was Europeans. In Study 6, mortality salience led to increased inter-group bias
irrespectively of participants' level of in-group identification. Discussion focuses on
potential explanations, implications and future directions.
Date of Award | 2009 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | |
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TERROR MANAGEMENT THEORY: THE INFLUENCE OF SALIENT GROUP NORMS, ACTIVE SOCIAL IDENTITIES AND IN-GROUP IDENTIFICATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MORTALITY SALIENCE AND BIAS
GIANNAKAKIS, A. E. (Author). 2009
Student thesis: PhD