I am not an animal: Mortality salience, disgust, and the denial of human creatureliness.
Abstract
The present research investigated the need to distinguish humans from animals and tested the hypothesis derived from terror management theory that this need stems in part from existential mortality concerns. Specifically, the authors suggest that being an animal is threatening because it reminds people of their vulnerability to death; therefore, reminding people of their mortality was hypothesized to increase the need to distance from animals. In support, Study 1 revealed that reminders of death led to an increased emotional reaction of disgust to body products and animals. Study 2 showed that compared to a control condition, mortality salience led to greater preference for an essay describing people as distinct from animals; and within the mortality salient condition but not the control condition, the essay emphasizing differences from other animals was preferred to the essay emphasizing similarities. The implications of these results for understanding why humans are so invested in beautifying their bodies and denying creaturely aspects of themselves are discussed.
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MS can increase aversion to raw physical sensation and close physical contact.
“MS can increase aversion to raw physical sensation and close physical contact (Goldenberg et al., 2001; Goldenberg et al., 2006)”
From When Death is Good for Life: Considering the Positive Trajectories of Terror Management (2012) · cites this paper as Goldenberg et al., 2001
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- Authors
- Goldenberg, J. L., Pyszczynski, T., Greenberg, J., Solomon, S., Kluck, B., & Cornwell, R.
- Affiliations
- Boise State University (US)
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
- Published
- 2001
- Volume
- 130
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 427-435
- ISSN
- 0096-3445 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-2222
- OpenAlex
- W2050725966
- Cited by
- 323
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 17 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 4.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Experimental Psychology General (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Commons - University of South Florida (University of South Florida) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
- Keywords
- mortality salience, terror management theory, disgust, human-animal distinction, human uniqueness, fear of death, animal products, body image, existential concerns
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Animals, Attitude to Death, Defense Mechanisms, Denial, Psychological, Existentialism, Female, Humans, Male, Self Concept, Social Values, Species Specificity
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