Applying terror management theory to performance: Can reminding individuals of their mortality increase strength output?
Abstract
Motivation plays a key role in successful athletic performance, and terror management theory has emerged as a broad theory of human motivation (e.g., Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszczynski, 1991) that may have implications for sport and exercise performance. Based on the theory, we tested the hypothesis that a reminder of mortality can motivate improved performance in a task requiring physical strength in individuals invested in strength. Participants demonstrated their strength on a hand dynamometer, then wrote about their own mortality or dental pain, and again squeezed the hand dynamometer. Results indicated that reminders of mortality increased strength performance for individuals invested in strength training (24 F, 31 M), and had no impact on those not invested in strength training (30 F, 28 M), p = .015. Implications for athletes are briefly discussed.
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Among individuals devoted to increasing their strength, mortality salience increases effort on a strength performance task.
“One study demonstrated that among individuals devoted to increasing their strength, MS increases effort on a strength performance task [35].”
From An Appreciative View of the Brighter Side of Terror Management Processes (2015) · cites this paper as [35]
After mortality salience versus control, individuals devoted to increasing strength squeezed a hand dynamometer harder than prior to mortality salience.
“Specifically, after MS (vs.control) these individuals squeezed a hand dynamometer (which measures grip strength) harder than prior to MS.”
From An Appreciative View of the Brighter Side of Terror Management Processes (2015) · cites this paper as [35]
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- Authors
- Peters, H. J., Greenberg, J., Williams, J. M., & Schneider, N. R.
- Affiliations
- University of Arizona (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
- Publisher
- Human Kinetics
- Published
- 2005-03
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 111-116
- ISSN
- 0895-2779 (ISSN-L)
- 1543-2904
- OpenAlex
- W2168234307
- Cited by
- 63
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 3.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Keywords
- terror management theory, mortality salience, athletic performance, physical strength, motivation, resistance training, hand dynamometer, dental pain, sport psychology
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