Validation of Personal Identity as a Terror Management Mechanism: Evidence that Sex-Role Identity Moderates Mortality Salience Effects

Abstract

Two studies examined the effects of mortality salience on the willingness to interact with sex-typed and cross-sex-typed stereotypic targets while assessing the moderating role of sex-role identity. In both studies, Israeli adolescent participants completed the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, were exposed to a mortality salience or control induction, and rated their willingness to interact with two same-sex targets that were defined by either feminine or masculine stereotypic traits. Study 1 included 169 boys; Study 2 consisted of 200 girls. Results from both studies indicated that mortality salience led sex-typed individuals (masculine boys, feminine girls) to report less willingness to interact with same-sex peers who are cross-sex-typed. In contrast, mortality salience led cross-sex-typed individuals (feminine boys, masculine girls) to report more willingness to interact with same-sex peers who are cross-sex-typed. Findings were discussed in light of the function of personal identity validation as a possible terror management mechanism.