This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (23) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Routledge, C. Articles by Goldenberg, J. L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Routledge, C. Articles by Goldenberg, J. L. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

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

University of Missouri, Columbia, cdrwbc{at}mizzou.edu

Jamie Arndt

University of Missouri, Columbia

Jamie L. Goldenberg

University of California, Davis

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.

Key Words: tanning • self-esteem • mortality salience • proximal defenses • distal defenses

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. C. Jessop, I. P. Albery, J. Rutter, and H. Garrod Understanding the Impact of Mortality-Related Health-Risk Information: A Terror Management Theory Perspective Pers Soc Psychol Bull, July 1, 2008; 34(7): 951 - 964. [Abstract] [PDF]

				E. L. B. Lykins, S. C. Segerstrom, A. J. Averill, D. R. Evans, and M. E. Kemeny Goal Shifts Following Reminders of Mortality: Reconciling Posttraumatic Growth and Terror Management Theory Pers Soc Psychol Bull, August 1, 2007; 33(8): 1088 - 1099. [Abstract] [PDF]

				W. M. P. Klein and M. E. Stefanek Cancer Risk Elicitation and Communication: Lessons from the Psychology of Risk Perception CA Cancer J Clin, May 1, 2007; 57(3): 147 - 167. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. R. Cox, J. L. Goldenberg, J. Arndt, and T. Pyszczynski Mother's Milk: An Existential Perspective on Negative Reactions to Breast-Feeding Pers Soc Psychol Bull, January 1, 2007; 33(1): 110 - 122. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T. Pyszczynski, A. Abdollahi, S. Solomon, J. Greenberg, F. Cohen, and D. Weise Mortality Salience, Martyrdom, and Military Might: The Great Satan Versus the Axis of Evil Pers Soc Psychol Bull, April 1, 2006; 32(4): 525 - 537. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. L. Goldenberg, J. Arndt, J. Hart, and M. Brown Dying To Be Thin: The Effects of Mortality Salience and Body Mass Index on Restricted Eating Among Women Pers Soc Psychol Bull, October 1, 2005; 31(10): 1400 - 1412. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. S. Friedman and J. Arndt Reexploring the Connection Between Terror Management Theory and Dissonance Theory Pers Soc Psychol Bull, September 1, 2005; 31(9): 1217 - 1225. [Abstract] [PDF]