Department of Human Development, California State University, Long Beach, CA 90840-4344, USA.
Omega (Westport). 2010;62(1):1-30. doi: 10.2190/om.62.1.a.
Although cremation is an increasingly popular method of body disposal, there is little research on ash disposition, particularly the decisions and negotiations underlying the process. Americans who have recently encountered the cremation of loved ones for the first time have not been studied at all; the present research describes 87 of their cremation experiences. Adults who were actively involved in cremation and ash disposition decisions were interviewed about these processes at every stage, from the decision to cremate through the performance of final rituals for their dead. Results detail family and friends' active negotiations over cremation and ash disposition, the surprises they encountered, and the personally meaningful rituals they created for their loved ones. As in other emerging postdeath rituals, the enactment of individualized rituals for the dead was seen as a positive experience; accordingly, most participants preferred to be cremated and honored through nontraditional rituals themselves.
虽然火化是一种越来越流行的处理遗体的方法，但关于骨灰处理的研究却很少，尤其是这个过程中所涉及的决策和协商。目前还没有对最近首次接触亲人火化的美国人进行过相关研究，而本研究描述了 87 名此类美国人的火化经历。我们对积极参与火化和骨灰处理决策的成年人进行了采访，了解了从决定火化到为逝者举行最后仪式的整个过程。结果详细描述了家庭和朋友在火化和骨灰处理方面的积极协商、他们遇到的意外情况，以及他们为亲人创造的个人有意义的仪式。与其他新兴的死后仪式一样，为逝者制定个性化的仪式被视为一种积极的体验；因此，大多数参与者希望自己通过非传统仪式火化并得到尊重。
