Empowering the self: Using the terror management health model to promote breast self-examination
Abstract
According to the terror management health model, when thoughts of death are non-consciously activated, health decisions should be influenced by identity-relevant motivations. Therefore, in this context, framing a health behavior as a tool to empower the self should increase intentions to engage in the behavior and enhanced feelings of empowerment after doing so. In Study 1, women for whom death thoughts were more accessible responded to an empowerment frame with increased breast self-exam intentions relative to women for whom death thoughts were less accessible. In Study 2, priming death led to increased empowerment feelings after conducting an exam framed as empowering. Discussion focuses on empowerment as a health promotion tool in contexts likely to activate non-conscious death thoughts.
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Beneficial effects of conscious death thoughts on healthy behaviors are particularly evident when healthy behaviors are aimed specifically at reducing the risk of death.
“The beneficial effects of conscious death thoughts on healthy behaviors are particularly evident when healthy behaviors are aimed specifically at reducing the risk of death [31] and among individuals who believe that their own actions can have a positive impact on their health [31,32].”
From An Appreciative View of the Brighter Side of Terror Management Processes (2015) · cites this paper as [31]
Beneficial effects of conscious death thoughts on healthy behaviors are particularly evident among individuals who believe their own actions can have a positive impact on their health.
“The beneficial effects of conscious death thoughts on healthy behaviors are particularly evident when healthy behaviors are aimed specifically at reducing the risk of death [31] and among individuals who believe that their own actions can have a positive impact on their health [31,32].”
From An Appreciative View of the Brighter Side of Terror Management Processes (2015) · cites this paper as [31]
When women are told that performing breast self-exams is empowering, mortality salience increases intentions to perform breast self-exams.
“and when women are told that performing breast self-exams is empowering, MS increases intentions to perform breast self-exams [31].”
From An Appreciative View of the Brighter Side of Terror Management Processes (2015) · cites this paper as [31]
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References 27 · Cited by 24
- Authors
- Cooper, D. P., Goldenberg, J. L., & Arndt, J.
- Affiliations
- University of South Florida (US)
- University of Missouri (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cooper, Douglas P.
- ORCID
- Goldenberg, Jamie L.
- Venue
- Self and Identity
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2011-05-05
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 315-325
- ISSN
- 1529-8868 (ISSN-L)
- 1529-8876
- OpenAlex
- W37499276
- Cited by
- 24
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Self and Identity (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 › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Media Influence and Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Keywords
- terror management theory, breast self-examination, empowerment, death thoughts, framing effects, health behavior intentions, health promotion, women
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