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Cited by 172Death Anxiety and Social ExclusionMedia Influence and HealthBehavioral Health and Interventions

Death Can Be Good for Your Health: Fitness Intentions as a Proximal and Distal Defense Against Mortality Salience1

Arndt, Jamie, Schimel, Jeff, Goldenberg, Jamie L.·2003·Journal of Applied Social Psychology
DOI 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2003.tb01972.x
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Abstract

Although terror management theory has stimulated a wide body of research, no research to date has demonstrated empirically that intentions to engage in health‐oriented behavior can function as a terror management defense. Toward this end, the present studies examined whether increased fitness intentions could be used as both a direct defense against conscious concerns with death, but also as an indirect defense against unconscious death concerns among individuals for whom fitness is important to their self‐esteem. In Study 1, both high and low fitness esteem participants responded to reminders of mortality with immediate exaggerated fitness intentions, relative to controls. Study 2 replicated this effect, but also found that a similar increase in fitness intentions only emerged following a delay when fitness was important to the individuals’ self‐esteem. Discussion focuses on the implications for different types of psychological defense on heath‐related behavior.

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52 of 52 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Death reminders boosted exercise intentions among people who based their self-esteem on exercise, but not among those without this self-worth contingency.

    “death reminders boosted exercise intentions among people who based their self-esteem on exercise (but not those without this self-worth contingency; Arndt et al., 2003)”

    From When Death is Good for Life: Considering the Positive Trajectories of Terror Management (2012) · cites this paper as Arndt et al., 2003

  • Compared to the control condition, mortality salience increased intentions to exercise, but only for those who based their worth in being physically fit.

    “Compared to the control condition, MS increased intentions to exercise, but only for those who based their worth in being physically fit.”

    From An Appreciative View of the Brighter Side of Terror Management Processes (2015) · cites this paper as [29]

  • When health-promoting options are available and perceived, death thoughts in conscious awareness augment healthy behavioral intentions, such as intentions to exercise and protect one's skin with sunscreen.

    “To begin, when health-promoting options are available and perceived, death thoughts in conscious awareness augment healthy behavioral intentions, such as the intentions to exercise [29] and protect one's skin with sunscreen [14].”

    From An Appreciative View of the Brighter Side of Terror Management Processes (2015) · cites this paper as [29]

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Authors
Arndt, J., Schimel, J., & Goldenberg, J. L.
Affiliations
  • University of Missouri (US)
  • University of Alberta (CA)
  • Boise State University (US)
Corresponding author
Arndt, Jamie
ORCID
Goldenberg, Jamie L.
Venue
Journal of Applied Social Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2003-08
Volume
33
Issue
8
Pages
1726-1746
ISSN
  • 0021-9029 (ISSN-L)
  • 1559-1816
DOI
10.1111/j.1559-1816.2003.tb01972.x
OpenAlex
W2145990815
Cited by
172
References
52
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 6
FWCI
7.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 1095 d)
Locations
  • Journal of Applied Social Psychology (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, mortality salience, health behavior, self-esteem, defense mechanisms, death concerns

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