Existential isolation and death thought accessibility

Helm, Peter; Lifshin, Uri; Chau, Ronald F.; Greenberg, Jeff

doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2019.103845

Cited by 24 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 30 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…How individuals are gender‐socialized may also contribute to trait EI (H5). Multiple studies have found consistent sex differences in reported EI (Costello, ; Helm, Lifshin, Chau, et al, ; Pinel et al, ) in which men report higher EI than do women. Helm, Lifshin, Chau, et al () found that sex differences in endorsing communal values helps explain this difference.…”

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Multiple studies have found consistent sex differences in reported EI (Costello, ; Helm, Lifshin, Chau, et al, ; Pinel et al, ) in which men report higher EI than do women. Helm, Lifshin, Chau, et al () found that sex differences in endorsing communal values helps explain this difference. Communal values revolve around valuing characteristics that are group‐oriented (e.g., loyalty, equality) and prosocial (e.g., forgiveness, altruism).…”

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Chronic causes that contribute to trait EI may occur because of attachment or other socialization processes, and sociocultural factors. Across multiple studies, researchers have found consistent correlations between EI and insecure attachment (Helm, Lifshin, & Greenberg, ). In particular, EI is correlated with avoidant attachment.…”

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…However, chronic experiences, those occurring over long periods of time, are probably the most common causes of high trait EI. To date, most research on EI has focused on it as a trait and has conceptualized it as a stable individual difference (e.g., Costello, ; Helm, Lifshin, Chau, & Greenberg, ).…”

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…But there are a few exceptions. Helm and colleagues (Helm, Lifshin, Chau, et al, ) found that priming feelings of EI increased death‐thought accessibility relative to a loneliness or boredom prime. Death‐thought accessibility refers to how accessible death‐related cognition is in consciousness (Hayes, Schimel, Faucher, & Williams, ).…”

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Feeling alone in your subjectivity: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Model (STEIM)

et al. 2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Psychologists have devoted substantial attention to social isolation and to loneliness but only recently have psychologists begun to consider existential isolation. Existential isolation is a unique form of interpersonal isolation, related to, but distinct from loneliness and social isolation. Feeling existentially isolated is the subjective sense one is alone in one's experience, and that others cannot understand one's perspective. In the current paper, we propose a conceptual model of existential isolation and review relevant evidence. The model proposes that the experience of existential isolation can be situational, context dependent, or a trait‐like pervasive sense that others do not validate one's subjective experience. The model posits acute and chronic causes of existential isolation and consequences of the state and trait forms of it. Reactions to state existential isolation produce momentary and short‐term effects whereby an individual's sense of validation of their worldview is threatened and attempts are made to eliminate this feeling. In contrast, trait existential isolation leads to reduced identification with cultural sources of meaning and withdrawal from seeking rewarding relationships, which leads to more long‐term consequences such as chronic need depletion and deficits in well‐being. We briefly discuss potential moderators that may affect whether and when individuals experience existential isolation and possible strategies for reducing existential isolation, and recommend directions for future research.

show abstract

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 85%

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Feeling alone in your subjectivity: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Model (STEIM)

et al. 2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Existential isolation and prolonged grief in bereaved people: The moderating role of culture

Zhou

Zhao

Smith

et al. 2023

Clin Psychology and Psychoth

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective Existential isolation refers to an individual's awareness of the unbridgeable gulf between oneself, other people and the world. This kind of isolation has been found to be higher in individuals with nonnormative experiences, such as racial or sexual minorities. Bereaved individuals may experience a stronger sense of existential isolation and feel that no one shares their feelings or perceptions. However, research on bereaved people's experiences of existential isolation and its effects on post‐loss adaptation is scarce. This study aims to validate the German and Chinese versions of the Existential Isolation Scale, investigate cultural and gender differences in existential isolation and explore the associations between existential isolation and prolonged grief symptoms in German‐speaking and Chinese bereaved individuals. Methods A cross‐sectional study with 267 Chinese and 158 German‐speaking bereaved participants was conducted. The participants completed self‐report questionnaires assessing existential isolation, prolonged grief symptoms, social networks, loneliness and social acknowledgement. Results The results indicated that the German and Chinese versions of the Existential Isolation Scale demonstrated adequate validity and reliability. No cultural or gender differences (or their interaction) were found for existential isolation. Higher existential isolation was associated with elevated prolonged grief symptoms, which was further moderated by the cultural group. The relationship between existential isolation and prolonged grief symptoms was significant for the German‐speaking bereaved people but not significant for those from China. Conclusion The findings highlight the role of existential isolation in the adaptation to bereavement and how different cultural backgrounds moderate the effect of existential isolation on post‐loss reactions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

show abstract

Memento mori: Understanding existential anxiety through the existential pathway model

Reed

Williamson

Wickham

2020

J. Theo. Soc. Psychol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Existentially derived frameworks have become more popular among researchers investigating a number of clinical areas, such as posttraumatic stress disorder and chronic pain. Nevertheless, the concept of existential anxiety has often been perceived as overly abstract and conceptually amorphous, which severely limits the ability of empirical research to objectively decipher the corresponding intrapsychic processes. Contemporary existential thought, particularly terror management theory, considers awareness of our own mortality as a driving factor behind many of our motivations as human beings (e.g., meaning‐making and connecting with others). By clearly delineating the pathways from death awareness to different manifestations of existential anxiety, clinicians and researchers would have a clearer framework through which to study existential anxiety. The present work introduces the concept of existential pathways as a way of recognizing, discerning, and addressing the causes of existential cognitions, affect, and behaviors within both clinical and research settings. Contemporary existential thought and empirically validated findings within terror management theory are used to develop a conceptual model of how death awareness potentially leads to thoughts, emotions, motivations, and behaviors associated with eight existential constructs: death anxiety, meaning, isolation, freedom, vulnerability, facticity, identity, and chaos. Clinical and research implications are discussed within the context of the existential pathway model, providing guidance on how the model may be used to harness behavioral change and inform research methodology.

show abstract

Existential isolation and death thought accessibility

Cited by 24 publications

References 30 publications

Feeling alone in your subjectivity: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Model (STEIM)

Feeling alone in your subjectivity: Introducing the State Trait Existential Isolation Model (STEIM)

Existential isolation and prolonged grief in bereaved people: The moderating role of culture

Memento mori: Understanding existential anxiety through the existential pathway model

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About