The Effects of Trait Self-Esteem and Death Cognitions on Worldview Defense and Search for Meaning

Abstract

Terror management theory asserts that attaining self-esteem by adhering to the standards of meaning-providing worldviews helps manage death concerns. Research has shown that mortality salience (MS) increases worldview defense, however, there are conflicting results concerning how trait self-esteem moderates this effect. Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that MS increases worldview defense for high, but not low, trait self-esteem individuals. These studies raised the question as to whether those with low trait self-esteem engage in efforts to find meaning in response to MS. Study 3 showed that MS increased the search for meaning for low, but not high, trait self-esteem individuals.

Notes

¹A distinct line of research shows that state self-esteem (when experimentally manipulated) also moderates the effects of MS on worldview defense, such that experimentally increasing state self-esteem mitigates the effect of MS on increased worldview defense (Harmon-Jones et al., 1997). The current research, however, is aimed at understanding the role that trait self-esteem plays in the effects of MS.

²There were no significant main or interactive effects of gender in any of the current studies (ps > .28).