Abstract
Terror management theorists have documented the impact of mortality salience on socioemotional outcomes but not communication behavior. The reported research explored the influence of mortality salience on language used to describe bodily processes. Consistent with findings that humans cope with death anxiety through psychological distancing from their vulnerable bodies, participants for whom mortality was made salient were more likely than control participants to describe bodily processes using euphemisms. Rate of euphemism use for eliminatory functions exceeded that for copulation overall, suggesting stronger creaturely associations with elimination. Our findings indicate that psychological distancing evoked by mortality salience is manifested in communication behavior.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
