World peace may be a tough sell
fear of death makes ‘just getting along’ hard

Today's news reports on daily car bombings and updates on the U.S. terror level. Assistant Professor of Pyschological Sciences Jamie Arndt, an expert in the study of terror management, says this constant conflict may in part reflect humans’ efforts to come to terms with their own impending death.

"People struggle to defend their beliefs to protect themselves from anxiety over their own mortality," Arndt said. "We may see this phenomenon, understood through Terror Management Theory (TMT), in a variety of beliefs, including religion, ethnicity, political preferences and even through sports team preferences. People can react to those ‘world view’ threats with prejudice, which can lead us to the world conflicts we find today."

According to Arndt, one key to effective terror management is self esteem, and those with a higher self worth, particularly people whose self esteem comes from within and is not based on accomplishing certain goals, are less likely to attack people who are different.

"With higher self esteem, people have a stronger shield and are better able to repel the anxiety that comes with understanding their own mortality," Arndt said. "We, and others, also have explored creative engagement and tolerance and found that giving people creative tasks may facilitate a more open-minded outlook."

Arndt has participated in studies or published 34 papers on terror management, including 13 that have been published in 2004 or are currently in press. His current research includes the effect of death images on legal decision making, creativity, and the campaigns of President Bush and Senator John Kerry.

Additional links:

Jamie Arndt
Department of Psychological Sciences

<< back to news
<< back to archives