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Compassionate Values and Presidential Politics: Mortality Salience, Compassionate Values, and Support for Barack Obama and John McCain in the 2008 Presidential Election

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: In line with terror management theory, this research demonstrates that mortality salience motivated increased support for John McCain in the absence of reminders of compassionate values. However, polls had indicated that Barack Obama was generally perceived as the more compassionate of the two candidates. Thus, when compassionate values were made salient, death reminders motivated participants to uphold these values by significantly increasing their support for the more compassionate Barack Obama instead. The implications of these findings for terror management theory, the 2008 presidential election, and political endorsements are discussed.

Source: Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy

DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-2415.2009.01190.x

Authors: Kenneth E. Vail III, Jamie Arndt, Matt Motyl, Tom Pyszczynski

Institutions: University of Missouri, University of Illinois Chicago, University of Colorado Colorado Springs

Language: English

Topic: Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W2063214980

FWCI: 2.911

Cites: 29

Cited by: 36

Related to: 10