How Existential Anxiety Shapes Communication in Coping with the Coronavirus Pandemic

Abstract

From the perspective of terror management theory (TMT), this chapter focuses on how existential anxiety following death thought awareness can influence a myriad of communication behavior designed to cope with the fear and dread aroused by the deadly COVID-19 global pandemic. It aims to apply TMT to several aspects relevant to interpersonal, health, and crisis communication. From a communication perspective, TMT offers explanations and predictions applicable to media use; international relations; social influence; political, intercultural, and interethnic interaction; health and risk communication; and interpersonal connections related to how people manage existential anxiety. In addition to the tendency to display dissociative vs. associative communication behavior when encountering dissimilar vs. similar others, individuals are often inclined to exhibit maladaptive vs. adaptive communication behavior concerning health issues. The chapter concludes with a discussion on ways death anxiety may be most effectively managed to help people cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.