The Role of Death Denial in Culture and Consciousness
Title
The Role of Death Denial in Culture and Consciousness
Author
Solomon, Sheldon
Research Area
Culture
Topic
Culture and Society
Abstract
Independent lines of theoretical inquiry in evolutionary psychology and existential psychodynamic psychology propose that the awareness of the inevitability of one's death would undermine the viability of consciousness as an adaptive form mental organization in the absence of death‐denying cultural and psychological affectations. In accord with this view, empirical research derived from terror management theory demonstrates that intimations of mortality have a pervasive effect on a wide range of human beliefs and behaviors.