Honors College Theses
Publication Date
2017
Major
Psychology (B.S.)
Release Option
Open Access
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Michael Nielsen
Abstract
Terror Management Theory argues that mortality salience is an important motivator in how people behave throughout their lives, and can influence how prejudiced individuals become. In this study we triggered participants’ mortality salience to test this claim, as well as measured the attitudes of prejudice have for atheists compared to homosexuals to see if they differ. Mortality salience did not have an effect on prejudice in this experiment, but anti-atheist prejudice was significantly higher than anti-homosexual prejudice. Although these findings are small, they confirm a need for continued research on prejudice against religious minorities, such as atheists, and how to reduce it.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Keim, Cassidy J., "Effects of Mortality Salience on Anti- Atheist Prejudice: A Terror Management Perspective" (2017). Honors College Theses. 570.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/honors-theses/570
Included in
Other Psychology Commons, Personality and Social Contexts Commons, Social Psychology Commons