A Time to Tan: Proximal and Distal Effects of Mortality Salience on Sun Exposure Intentions

According to the dual defense model of terror management, proximal defenses are engaged to reduce the conscious impact of mortality salience, whereas thoughts of death outside of conscious awareness motivate distal defenses aimed at maintaining self-esteem. Two experiments examined these ideas by as...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Personality & social psychology bulletin 2004-10, Vol.30 (10), p.1347-1358
Main Authors: Routledge, Clay, Arndt, Jamie, Goldenberg, Jamie L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Attitude to Death
Awareness
Beauty
Culture
Defence mechanisms
Defense mechanisms
Environmental Exposure
Female
Focused attention
Health hazards
Health risks
Humans
Intention
Mortality
Mortality salience effects
Self Concept
Self image
Selfesteem
Social psychology
Sunbathing
Sunburn & sun tanning
Sunlight
Suntan
Symbolism
Time Factors
USA
Women
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Summary:According to the dual defense model of terror management, proximal defenses are engaged to reduce the conscious impact of mortality salience, whereas thoughts of death outside of conscious awareness motivate distal defenses aimed at maintaining self-esteem. Two experiments examined these ideas by assessing women’s intentions to engage in tanning-related behavior. In Study 1, when concerns about death (relative to dental pain) were in focal attention, participants increased intentions to protect themselves from dangerous sun exposure. In contrast, when thoughts about death were outside of focal attention, participants decreased interest in sun protection. In Study 2, participants primed to associate tanned skin with an attractive appearance responded to mortality concerns outside of focal attention with increased interest in tanning products and services. These findings are discussed in relation to the dual-defense model of terror management, societal determinants of self-esteem, and implications for health risk and promotion.
ISSN:0146-1672
1552-7433
DOI:10.1177/0146167204264056