Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2012 Oct;38(10):1288-300. doi: 10.1177/0146167212449361. Epub 2012 Jun 25.
Building on research suggesting one primary function of religion is the management of death awareness, the present research explored how supernatural beliefs are influenced by the awareness of death, for whom, and how individuals' extant beliefs determine which god(s), if any, are eligible to fulfill that function. In Study 1, death reminders had no effect among Atheists, but enhanced Christians' religiosity, belief in a higher power, and belief in God/Jesus and enhanced denial of Allah and Buddha. Similarly, death reminders increased Muslims' religiosity and belief in a higher power, and led to greater belief in Allah and denial of God/Jesus and Buddha (Study 2). Finally, in Study 3, death reminders motivated Agnostics to increase their religiosity, belief in a higher power, and their faith in God/Jesus, Buddha, and Allah. The studies tested three potential theoretical explanations and were consistent with terror management theory's worldview defense hypothesis. Theoretical implications are discussed.
基于暗示宗教的一个主要功能是管理死亡意识的研究，本研究探讨了超自然信仰如何受到死亡意识的影响，对于谁，以及个体现有的信仰如何决定哪些神（如果有的话）有资格履行这一功能。在研究 1 中，死亡提醒对无神论者没有影响，但增强了基督徒的宗教信仰、对更高权力的信仰以及对上帝/耶稣的信仰，并增强了对真主和佛陀的否认。同样，死亡提醒增加了穆斯林的宗教信仰和对更高权力的信仰，并导致更多的人相信真主，否认上帝/耶稣和佛陀（研究 2）。最后，在研究 3 中，死亡提醒促使不可知论者增加他们的宗教信仰、对更高权力的信仰以及他们对上帝/耶稣、佛陀和真主的信仰。这些研究检验了三个潜在的理论解释，与恐怖管理理论的世界观防御假设一致。讨论了理论意义。
