Fearing the uncertain: Self-uncertainty plays a role in mortality salience

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to examine the relationship between self-uncertainty, self-esteem and mortality salience as they relate to group identification and defense of the ingroup. Experiment 1 (N=140) tested the hypothesis that self-uncertainty mediates the interactive effect of self-esteem and mortality salience on group identification. Results demonstrated that mortality salience only increased self-uncertainty and identification under neutral self-esteem, and self-uncertainty mediated the interactive effect of mortality salience and self-esteem on ingroup identification. Experiment 2 (N=294) tested the hypothesis that only when self-uncertainty is elevated does the interactive effect of self-esteem and mortality salience predict group identification and ingroup defense. As hypothesized, when self-uncertainty was reduced TMT results were attenuated. Results across the two experiments demonstrate that self-uncertainty plays a significant role in reactions to mortality salience.