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The anxiety-buffering function of close relationships: Evidence that relationship commitment acts as a terror management mechanism
Abstract
Three studies examined the terror management function of romantic commitment. In Study 1 (N = 94), making mortality salient led to higher reports of romantic commitment on the Dimensions of Commitment Inventory (J. M. Adams & W. H. Jones, 1997) than control conditions. In Study 2 (N = 60), the contextual salience of thoughts about romantic commitment reduced the effects of mortality salience on judgments of social transgressions. In Study 3 (N = 100), the induction of thoughts about problems in romantic relationships led to higher accessibility of death-related thoughts than did the induction of thoughts about either academic problems or a neutral theme. The findings expand terror management theory, emphasizing the anxiety-buffering function of close relationships.
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“There is growing evidence for the role of close relationships as a third psychological structure (Cox et al., 2012; Florian et al, 2002; Mikulincer et al., 2002; Mikulincer et al., 2003), but we focus on the two substantiated structures due to robust empirical support and their integral role in TMT development.”
From Mortality management and climate action: A review and reference for using Terror Management Theory methods in interdisciplinary environmental research (2022) · cites this paper as Florian et al, 2002
In the citing paper
“This modification has been exemplified in work by Mikulincer and Florian when determining that close relationships also serve as a mortality anxiety-buffer (Florian et al., 2002; Mikulincer et al., 2003).”
From Mortality management and climate action: A review and reference for using Terror Management Theory methods in interdisciplinary environmental research (2022) · cites this paper as Florian et al., 2002
In the citing paper
“Next, often included amongst cover surveys, an anxiety-buffer measure establishes participants' baseline psychological structure state since what buffers anxiety for one may not for another (Cox et al., 2019; Florian et al., 2002).”
From Mortality management and climate action: A review and reference for using Terror Management Theory methods in interdisciplinary environmental research (2022) · cites this paper as Florian et al., 2002
In the citing paper
“For example, after mortality salience, people were more willing to initiate social interactions (Taubman Ben-Ari et al., 2002) and reported higher romantic commitment to their partners (Florian et al., 2002).”
From Existential threat and responses to emotional displays of ingroup and outgroup members (2023) · cites this paper as Florian et al., 2002
In the citing paper
“Indeed, studies have found that MS bolsters striving for romantic intimacy [41], enhances commitment to romantic relationships [42,43], and leads to endorsements of romantic and selfless relationship partners and styles of love [44].”
From An Appreciative View of the Brighter Side of Terror Management Processes (2015) · cites this paper as [42]
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Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Florian, V., Mikulincer, M., & Hirschberger, G.
- Affiliations
- Bar-Ilan University (IL)
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 2002
- Volume
- 82
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 527-542
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W2116080378
- Cited by
- 334
- References
- 75
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 14.10
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
- Keywords
- terror management theory, romantic commitment, close relationships, mortality salience, death-related thoughts, social transgression, relationship problems
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Altruism, Anxiety, Attitude to Death, Death, Defense Mechanisms, Biological Evolution, Existentialism, Female, Humans, Instinct, Interpersonal Relations, Love, Male, Marriage, Models, Psychological, Motivation, Self Concept, Survival
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