The effects of mortality salience on self-serving attributions - Evidence for the function of self-esteem as a terror management mechanism

被引:70
|
作者
Mikulincer, M [1 ]
Florian, V [1 ]
机构
[1] Bar Ilan Univ, Dept Psychol, IL-52900 Ramat Gan, Israel
关键词
D O I
10.1207/S15324834BASP2404_2
中图分类号
B84 [心理学];
学科分类号
04 ; 0402 ;
摘要
Three studies examined the effects of mortality salience on self-serving attributions. In Study I (N = 60), participants were exposed to mortality salience or control conditions and rated attributions and emotional reactions to hypothetical events. In Study 2 (N = 72), participants were divided into mortality salience and control conditions and exposed to success or failure in a cognitive task. Then, their attributions for the obtained outcome and task performance were assessed. In Study 3 (N = 100), participants were exposed to mortality salience or control conditions, they were given or not given the opportunity to report attributions, and death-thought accessibility was assessed. Mortality salience led to more self-serving attributions than a control condition and these attributions were related to better emotional state and task performance. In addition, the opportunity to report causal attributions reduced death-thought accessibility following mortality salience. The discussion emphasizes the terror management function of self-serving attributions.
引用
收藏
页码:261 / 271
页数:11
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