Terror Management Theory and Belief in an Afterlife

Research has shown that belief in an afterlife, a form of symbolic immortality, can alleviate the negative emotions associated with one’s mortality (Deschesne et. al, 2003). We found this aspect of TMT particularly interesting, but lacking any substantial research. Therefore, we set out to determine if belief in an afterlife could diminish the effects of mortality salience. As far as we know, our study is the first to use a pre-screening process to determine participants’ prior beliefs. One prediction might be that those who believe in an afterlife will be less affected by the effects of mortality salience.

Differences in the Effects of Social Context on Emotional Responding

This study compares the effects of social cues on emotional experiences of men and women. Literature suggests that emotional responses are influenced by the presence and expressiveness of other individuals (Hess, Banse, & Kappas, 1995; Jacobs, Manstead, & Fischer, 2001; Fridlund, 1991). We examined whether social cues influence the experience of emotions differently for men and women. Research on gender differences in self-construal (Cross & Madson, 1997) led us to expect that women’s own emotional reactions would be more sensitive to emotional cues from other individuals than men’s.