Gender and sex-role stereotypes in scales of death concern

Abstract

A review of the literature reveals that gender is one of the variables most consistently related to death anxiety. Consistent with these findings, females in the present study reported significantly more death anxiety on Templer's Death Anxiety Scale than did males. In addition, females expressed greater Fear of Death of Others and Fear of Dying of Self on the Collett-Lester Scale. Given intercorrelations, multiple regression analyses were conducted that revealed that, over and above the control variables of Trait Anxiety, State Anxiety, and Social Desirability, gender made a significant contribution to prediction for four of five death concern scales. In the case of Templer's Scale, Fear of Death of Self and Fear of Dying of Self, the addition of Bem's scales to the equation improved prediction. For these three scales Femininity was a significant individual predictor in the final equation while gender was not. These findings suggest that when subjects contemplate their own deaths sex-role stereotypes can help account for gender differences, with more “feminine” individuals reporting more death concern.