Do I Fear Death? The Effects of Mortality Salience on Anti‐Consumption Lifestyles

Nepomuceno, Marcelo Vinhal; Laroche, Michel

doi:10.1111/joca.12100

Cited by 41Death Anxiety and Social ExclusionConsumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and IdentificationDeath, Funerary Practices, and Mourning

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 11 of the 11 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Do I Fear Death? The Effects of Mortality Salience on Anti‐Consumption Lifestyles

Nepomuceno, Marcelo Vinhal, Laroche, Michel·2016·Journal of Consumer Affairs

DOI 10.1111/joca.12100

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Abstract

How are individuals who voluntarily resist consumption affected by death thoughts? We looked at the impact of mortality salience (MS) on anticonsumption lifestyles. We found that high anticonsumption individuals were equally unlikely to consume in the control and MS conditions. However, low anticonsumption individuals were more likely to consume after death was made salient. Finally, anticonsumption lifestyles did not correlate with self‐esteem, a known buffer of the effects of MS. Because MS did not change the consumption‐related behaviors of high anticonsumption individuals, our findings suggest that consumption is not a relevant method for such individuals to recover their self‐esteem. The findings also suggest that the adoption of an anticonsumption lifestyle buffers the effect of MS on participants' consumption‐related behaviors.

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No significant effects of MS on propensity to resist consumption and save money were found.
“Results revealed no significant effects.”
From Terror Management Theory in the Consumer Domain: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis on Mortality Salience Driven Consumer Responses (2025) · cites this paper as Nepomuceno and Laroche (2016, Studies 1 and 2)
After death thoughts, adoption of an anti-consumption lifestyle buffers effects of death thoughts and consequent mortality salience on consumption-related behavior.
“After death thoughts, the adoption of an anti‐consumption lifestyle buffers the effects of death thoughts and consequent mortality salience on people's consumption‐related behavior (Nepomuceno & Laroche, 2016).”
From “The greedy I that gives”—The paradox of egocentrism and altruism: Terror management and system justification perspectives on the interrelationship between mortality salience and charitable donations amid the COVID‐19 pandemic (2022) · cites this paper as Nepomuceno & Laroche, 2016
When mortality salience is induced, members of capitalist and materialistic cultures will increase their materialistic pursuits as a way of bolstering this worldview and reinforcing their belief that they are valuable members within this ideological framework.
“Therefore, when mortality salience is induced, members of capitalist and materialistic cultures, where accumulation of wealth and consumption of goods are touted as paths to a successful and happy life, will increase their materialistic pursuits as a way of bolstering this worldview and reinforcing their belief that they are valuable members within this ideological framework (Kasser & Sheldon, 200”
From “The greedy I that gives”—The paradox of egocentrism and altruism: Terror management and system justification perspectives on the interrelationship between mortality salience and charitable donations amid the COVID‐19 pandemic (2022) · cites this paper as Nepomuceno & Laroche, 2016

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“Some authors indicated that consumers who consume less have high self-esteem (Kasser 2005; Zavestoski 2002) and high self-esteem shields individuals from the effects of MS (Harmon-Jones et al. 1997).”
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Sorted by citations

“The greedy I that gives”—The paradox of egocentrism and altruism: Terror management and system justification perspectives on the interrelationship between mortality salience and charitable donations amid the COVID‐19 pandemic
Jin, S. V., & Ryu, E. (2022) · Journal of Consumer Affairs · doi:10.1111/joca.12381 · Cited by 52
The impact of mortality salience on environmental concerns and diet intentions: the moderating role of political orientation and RWA
Valmori, A., Carraro, L., Guidetti, M., Lenzi, M., & Castelli, L. (2024) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-024-06195-y · Cited by 5
Death primes in advertisements: how international advertisers can ensure their message is effective
Minton, E. A., Park, H., & Spielmann, N. (2022) · International Journal of Advertising · doi:10.1080/02650487.2021.1979787 · Cited by 4
Terror Management Theory in the Consumer Domain: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis on Mortality Salience Driven Consumer Responses
Arendsen, J. L., Brugman, B. C., van Koningsbruggen, G. M., & Fransen, M. L. (2025) · International Journal of Consumer Studies · doi:10.1111/ijcs.70056 · Cited by 4
“Nepomuceno and Laroche (2016, Studies 1 and 2) hypothesized that individuals who already voluntarily re-sist consumption can resist consumption after being exposed to MS.”

Authors: Nepomuceno, M. V., & Laroche, M.
Affiliations: Concordia University (CA)
ORCID: Nepomuceno, Marcelo Vinhal
Laroche, Michel
Venue: Journal of Consumer Affairs
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2016-03
Volume: 50
Issue: 1
Pages: 124-144
ISSN: 0022-0078 (ISSN-L)
1745-6606
DOI: 10.1111/joca.12100
OpenAlex: W2293658576
Cited by: 41
References: 11
Citations by year: 2026: 3 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2016: 1
FWCI: 6.30
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 3 d)
Locations: Journal of Consumer Affairs (publishedVersion)
RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
Keywords: mortality salience, fear of death, simple living, self-esteem, consumption behavior

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Do I Fear Death? The Effects of Mortality Salience on Anti‐Consumption Lifestyles

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