The Existential Function of Close Relationships: Introducing Death Into the Science of Love

Abstract

Originally, terror management theory proposed two psychological mechanisms in dealing with the terror of death awareness-cultural worldview validation and self-esteem enhancement. In this article, we would like to promote the idea of close relationships as an additional death-anxiety buffering mechanism and review a growing body of empirical data that support this contention. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the sociocultural and personal functions of close relationships, we formulate two basic hypotheses that have received empirical support in a series of experimental studies. First, death reminders heighten the motivation to form and maintain close relationships. Second, the maintenance of close relationships provides a symbolic shield against the terror of death, whereas the breaking of close relationships results in an upsurge of death awareness. In addition, we present empirical evidence supporting the possibility that close relationships function as a related yet separate mechanism from the self-esteem and cultural worldview defenses.

The role of mortality awareness in hero identification

“…Although the mean rating of heroism in this condition was at the midpoint of the scale (M = 4.76) and thus suggests a moderate level of perceived heroism rather than the piercing of a ruse, the possibility is still open that the results do not reflect the influence of thinking about a hero with which one identifies, but rather could reflect thinking about someone who was simply seen as more (truly) heroic. Further, participants' own heroes more frequently referred to family members, and this may contribute to the observed effect on DTA given that close relationships can serve terror management functions (Mikulincer, Florian, & Hirschberger, 2003). To clear up such ambiguities, and probe whether hero identification was a necessary ingredient for the reduction of death-cognition, a task was needed that presents people with the same hero, but allows for variation in identification with the hero.…”

Self-enhancement and self-protection: What they are and what they do

“…However, many of the terror management strategies that people deploy have selfenhancing consequences, such as bolstering self-esteem, fostering interpersonal relationships, promoting ingroup solidarity, supporting cultural institutions, and even motivating the creation of enduring artworks (Arndt, Routledge, Greenberg, & Sheldon, 2005;Castano, Yzerbyt, & Paladino, 2004;Mikulincer, Florian, & Hirschberger, 2003).…”

The People Paradox: Self-Esteem Striving, Immortality Ideologies, and Human Response to Climate Change

“…Experiments indicate that bolstering self-esteem helps to keep death thoughts at bay (Greenberg et al 1992b). Consequently, threats to self-esteem can elicit terror management defenses, whereas factors such as a history of secure attachment or thinking about one's own secure relationship have buffering effects (Florian and Mikulincer 1998, Mikulincer and Florian 2000, Mikulincer et al 2003. Experiments designed to explore distal defenses are intriguing because they tap into unconscious motivation in compelling ways, asking whether interventions (primes) that increase mortality salience also increase the individual's striving for self-esteem, defense of his or her own world view, antagonism toward outgroups, and idealization of lovers and leaders.…”