Work

Where Health and Death Intersect

Year: 2017

Type: article

Abstract: This paper offers an integrative understanding of the intersection between "health" and "death" from the perspective of the terror management health model. After highlighting the potential for health-related situations to elicit concerns about mortality, we turn to the question, how do thoughts of death influence health decision-making? Across varied health domains, the answer depends on whether these cognitions are in conscious awareness or not. When mortality concerns are conscious, people engage in healthy intentions and behavior if efficacy and coping resources are present. In contrast, when contending with accessible but non-conscious thoughts of death, health relevant decisions are guided more by esteem implications of the behavior. Lastly, we present research suggesting how these processes can be leveraged to facilitate health promotion and reduce health risk.

Source: Current Directions in Psychological Science

DOI: 10.1177/0963721416689563

Authors: Jamie Arndt, Jamie L. Goldenberg

Institutions: University of Missouri, University of South Florida

Language: English

Topic: Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Cancer Institute