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      Deliver us from evil: the effects of mortality salience and reminders of 9/11 on support for President George W. Bush.

      Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
      Adolescent, Adult, Attitude to Death, Female, Humans, Leadership, Male, New York City, Politics, Public Policy, September 11 Terrorist Attacks, psychology, Students, Subliminal Stimulation, United States

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          Abstract

          According to terror management theory, heightened concerns about mortality should intensify the appeal of charismatic leaders. To assess this idea, we investigated how thoughts about death and the 9/11 terrorist attacks influence Americans' attitudes toward current U.S. President George W. Bush. Study 1 found that reminding people of their own mortality (mortality salience) increased support for Bush and his counterterrorism policies. Study 2 demonstrated that subliminal exposure to 9/11-related stimuli brought death-related thoughts closer to consciousness. Study 3 showed that reminders of both mortality and 9/11 increased support for Bush. In Study 4, mortality salience led participants to become more favorable toward Bush and voting for him in the upcoming election but less favorable toward Presidential candidate John Kerry and voting for him. Discussion focused on the role of terror management processes in allegiance to charismatic leaders and political decision making.

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          The Causes and Consequences of a Need for Self-Esteem: A Terror Management Theory

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            Evidence for terror management theory II: The effects of mortality salience on reactions to those who threaten or bolster the cultural worldview.

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              Evidence for terror management theory: I. The effects of mortality salience on reactions to those who violate or uphold cultural values.

              On the basis of terror management theory, it was hypothesized that when mortality is made salient, Ss would respond especially positively toward those who uphold cultural values and especially negatively toward those who violate cultural values. In Experiment 1, judges recommended especially harsh bonds for a prostitute when mortality was made salient. Experiment 2 replicated this finding with student Ss and demonstrated that it occurs only among Ss with relatively negative attitudes toward prostitution. Experiment 3 demonstrated that mortality salience also leads to larger reward recommendations for a hero who upheld cultural values. Experiments 4 and 5 showed that the mortality salience effect does not result from heightened self-awareness or physiological arousal. Experiment 6 replicated the punishment effect with a different mortality salience manipulation. Implications for the role of fear of death in social behavior are discussed.
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