Theory of The Omnipresence of Cancer
Carol L. Cox, Maya Zumstein-Shaha in A Theory of Cancer Care in Healthcare Settings, 2017
In psychology and nursing, similar concepts such as fear of death (Penson et al., 2005) or death anxiety (Bassett, 2007) have been developed and included in theories such as ‘Terror Management Theory’ (Taubman-Ben-Ari et al., 2002). This theory maintains that life-threatening large scale events, such as terrorist attacks, provoke awareness of life’s transitory nature in the targeted population. By reinforcing social and personal relationships the population strives to rebuild confidence and trust. Interventions fostering the re-building of or strengthening relationships between individuals or art-based interventions such as painting and drawing have been shown to be supportive. Employment of these interventions shows that individuals feel better able to manage their lives (Mikulincer et al., 2003; Arndt et al., 2005).
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Judy Z. Koenigsberg in Anxiety Disorders, 2020
To develop a psychodynamic understanding of the psychological defenses that individuals use against death anxiety, Bassett (2007) integrated two theories: Terror Management Theory (TMT) (Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1986) and Separation Theory (Firestone, 1994). Both theories underscore the effect of past experiences on the development of psychological defenses and recognize that adult defenses develop as a reaction to anxiety over abandonment by parents (Bassett, 2007). Death anxiety emerges as an existential worry about one’s extinction that takes the place of concerns about neglect experienced from parents, and the integration of the two theories offers a more complete understanding of adult defenses by broadening the number and type of psychological defenses against death anxiety (Bassett, 2007; Firestone, 1984).
Ageing and ageism in COVID-19 times
Maria Łuszczyńska, Marvin Formosa in Ageing and COVID-19, 2021
Ageism may be caused by various determinants of functioning of individuals and society. According to Lev, Wurm and Ayalon, the reasons for ageism can be seen in terror management theory, stereotype embodiment theory and social identity theory (Lev et al. 2018: 52). Terror management theory provides an explanation for the reasons and motives of ageism toward old age groups among the young, middle aged groups and young-old age group. In this case, ageism is connected with the threat of death, the threat of animality, and the threat of insignificance. Prejudice and intolerance are based on the fear of death. An inability to peacefully coexist with others results from an inability to share one’s worldview with those who do not agree with us and do not buffer our anxiety (Greenberg et al. 2020). Stereotype embodiment theory explains the roots of ageism among the young-old and old-old age groups. Negative attitudes and stereotypes about older adults which an individual has internalized during their life are often unconsciously embodied during old age, whereas social identity theory is connected with interpersonal and intergroup behaviors. Interpersonal behavior is determined by individual characteristics and interpersonal relationships. Intergroup behavior is determined by respective membership in various social groups or categories. The social behavior of individuals combines these two aspects. Subordinate and minority groups in society often tend to internalize a social evaluation of themselves as “second class,” which leads to self-ageism (Lev et al. 2018).
Older Adult Health Condition as a Moderator of How Middle-Aged Adults’ Ageist Attitudes and Aging Anxiety Relate to Their Compassion for and Emotional Distance from Older Adults
Published in Experimental Aging Research, 2023
Hannah M. Bashian, Grace I. L. Caskie
Two theories provide a framework for our study: Terror Management Theory (TMT; Martens et al., 2005) and Social Identity Theory (Chonody & Teater, 2015). Terror Management Theory posits that human beings have a basic desire to survive but also possess the unique knowledge that they will inevitably die. This knowledge creates the potential for anxiety, such as aging anxiety, with which individuals cope through conscious and unconscious defense mechanisms (Martens et al., 2005). Some of these defense mechanisms include distancing or distracting from death-related thoughts. TMT theorizes these defenses are used as an attempt to place death concerns outside of one’s conscious awareness (Cicirelli, 2002). TMT further suggests that older adults and the aging process are reminders of one’s own mortality (Maxfield & Bevan, 2019). To cope with this fear of dying, people may attempt to physically and emotionally distance themselves from older adults and/or treat them differently, resulting in ageist attitudes (Martens et al., 2005). Thus, TMT posits that aging anxiety is a result of one’s existential anxiety of nearing death, whereas ageist attitudes are a defense mechanism used to cope with one’s aging anxiety.
Health Bias in Clinical Work with Older Adult Clients: The Relation with Ageism and Aging Anxiety
Published in Clinical Gerontologist, 2022
Grace I. L. Caskie, Shannon L. Patterson, Abigail R. Voelkner
Gaining a better understanding of why individuals hold ageist beliefs may help to improve geropsychology training and reduce professional biases and concerns about therapeutic process issues. Previous studies with clinical psychology trainees (Lee et al., 2003) and undergraduate students (Allan & Johnson, 2009; Barnett & Adams, 2018; Boswell, 2012; Schwartz & Simmons, 2001) identified aging anxiety as a factor in explaining ageist attitudes and behaviors. Several studies found direct relationships between higher levels of aging anxiety and more negative attitudes toward older adults and aging (Harris & Dollinger, 2001; Wisdom et al., 2014. Aging anxiety is distinct from other types of anxiety in that it is centered on the anticipation of losses during the aging process (Boswell, 2012; Lasher & Faulkender, 1993). Terror Management Theory (Martens, Goldenberg, & Greenberg, 2005) stipulates that anxiety about aging, and death in particular, can result in individuals distancing themselves from older adults to cope with these concerns. However, no known studies have explicitly linked aging anxiety to mental health trainees’ perceptions of older adult clients. We hypothesized that greater aging anxiety would relate to trainees rating potential clinical work with an older adult client more negatively and that aging anxiety would magnify any differences based on older adult health status.
Turkish Version of the Interpretation of Death Scale: Cultural Adaptation and Validation
Published in Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 2022
A limitation of this study is that it was carried out in the period of the COVID-19 outbreak. It is well known that the salience of death can change the behavior of individuals (see Terror Management Theory by Greenberg and others in 1986). It is a matter of curiosity for the researcher what kind of results would occur if the study was carried out in a normal period. The other important point to mention here is the social desirability bias that could affect the responses of the participants. It is possible that the participants did not honestly respond to the questionnaires, and they might have interpreted the items differently so these could have significant effects on the findings. In addition to scales, the interview method can be used in future studies to overcome this problem. As the findings of this study were also limited to individuals who have internet access, for future studies face to face or posting method may be preferred. This scale can also be examined among the elderly individuals in Turkey.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Anxiety
- Personality
- Social Psychology
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Self-Preservation
- Escapism
- Death Anxiety
- Immortality
- Self-Esteem
- Happiness