Cited by 159Death Anxiety and Social ExclusionSocial and Intergroup PsychologyDeath, Funerary Practices, and Mourning

Hiding in the crowd: Can mortality salience promote affiliation with others who oppose one’s worldviews?

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Wisman, Arnaud, Koole, Sander L.·2003·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Abstract

The present research highlights affiliation defenses in the psychological confrontation with death. In 3 experiments, it was found that mortality salience led to increased affiliation strivings, as indicated by a greater preference for sitting within a group as opposed to sitting alone. Mortality salience actually led to increased affiliation with a worldview-threatening group (Experiments 1-2), even when affiliation with the group forced participants to attack their own worldviews (Experiment 3). Taken together, the findings support a distinct role of affiliation defenses against existential concerns. Moreover, affiliation defenses seem powerful enough to override worldview validation defenses, even when the worldviews in question are personally relevant and highly accessible.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0022-3514.84.3.511

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  • The enhanced affiliation need after mortality salience leads people to accept worldview-opposing individuals as a source of affiliation.

    “The enhanced affiliation need after mortality salience even leads people to accept worldview-opposing individuals as a source of affiliation (Wisman & Koole, 2003).”
  • Mortality salience increases motivation to have and care for children.

    “Indeed, several studies have illustrated that mortality salience increases motivation to have and care for children [47][48][49].”

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Authors
Wisman, A., & Koole, S. L.
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Published
2003
Volume
84
Issue
3
Pages
511-526
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
OpenAlex
W2142808581
Cited by
159
References
80
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 13
FWCI
10.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
other-oa
Locations
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent) (acceptedVersion)
  • Digital Academic REpository of VU University Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
  • Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent) (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
Keywords
mortality salience, worldview defense, existential concerns, group membership, self-presentation, fear of death
MeSH terms
Adult, Attitude to Death, Culture, Fear, Female, Humans, Male, Morals, Netherlands, Psychological Theory, Psychology, Social, Social Behavior, Social Isolation

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