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The effects of mortality salience on relationship strivings and beliefs: The moderating role of attachment style
Author(s) -
TaubmanBenAri Orit,
Findler Liora,
Mikulincer Mario
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
british journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 2044-8309
pISSN - 0144-6665
DOI - 10.1348/014466602760344296
Subject(s) - mortality salience , psychology , salience (neuroscience) , terror management theory , interpersonal communication , developmental psychology , social psychology , interpersonal relationship , attachment theory , competence (human resources) , coping (psychology) , anxiety , clinical psychology , cognitive psychology , psychiatry
This series of studies examined mortality salience effects on relationship strivings, while exploring the moderating role of attachment style. In the three studies, Israeli university students completed an attachment style scale, were assigned to a mortality salience or neutral condition, and then completed scales tapping specific relationship strivings and beliefs. Study 1 ( N = 104) examined participants' willingness to initiate social interactions with a hypothetical same‐sex person; Study 2 ( N = 100) examined appraisals of interpersonal competence; and Study 3 ( N = 108) examined reports of rejection sensitivity. Findings revealed that mortality salience led to more willingness to initiate social interactions, lower rejection sensitivity and more positive appraisals of interpersonal competence than a control condition. These mortality salience effects were found mainly among persons who scored low on attachment anxiety or attachment avoidance. Findings were discussed in light of the terror management function of close relationships.