DAY 34

 

Terror management theory

Terror Management Theory (TMT) is a psychological framework developed by Jeff Greenberg, Sheldon Solomon, and Tom Pyszczynski, introduced in their book, *The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life* (2015). TMT suggests that a fundamental conflict arises from our self-preservation instinct and the awareness of our inevitable and unpredictable death. This conflict generates terror, managed through escapism and cultural beliefs that provide meaning and significance, countering the insignificance of death with symbolic culture.

Examples of cultural values that alleviate death anxiety include beliefs in literal immortality, like those found in religion, as well as seemingly unrelated values such as national identity, posterity, and the belief in human superiority over animals. These values offer a sense of belonging to something greater or elevate one's identity above mere biological existence.

Cultural values are essential for determining meaning in life and form the basis of self-esteem, which TMT defines as the measure of how well an individual aligns with these values. While TMT was developed by the aforementioned psychologists, its roots lie in Ernest Becker's 1973 work, *The Denial of Death*, which argues that most human actions are driven by a desire to avoid confronting mortality. Societies create symbols—laws, beliefs, and cultural norms—to provide meaning and reduce the anxiety associated with death, with self-esteem acting as a personal buffer against this fear.