The effect of death related content on reaction to advertisements: A terror management theory analysis
Peyton Sables
This research examines how reactions to advertisements might vary as a function of the content of the television programing that preceded them. The work is grounded in Terror Management Theory, which has identified two distinct types of defensive reactions that occur in response to reminders of death (Pyszcynski et al., 2000). Proximal defenses involve efforts to exaggerate longevity and promote health. Distal defenses involve efforts to bolster self-esteem as a means of achieving some symbolic sense that one’s existence mattered in a meaningful and impactful way. Previous research has shown that reminders of death can influence people’s reactions to advertisements and increase the appeal of products, especially those related to health (Routledge et al., 2004) or status (Mandel & Heine, 1999). The current presentation highlights limitations in the existing literature that has manipulated mortality salience using the traditional essay prompt and proposes an original research design that could build on and improve upon this existing body of literature by examining the potential effects of mortality salience on advertising in a more realistic context. The proposed research will attempt to manipulate mortality salience through the content of the television programming being viewed by participants. This approach has greater ecological validity and would provide more useful information to advertisers about the pros and cons of advertising their products in different types of content domains.
Peyton Sables is a senior psychology major from Columbia, South Carolina. She has a minor in human services. She is a member of the Psi Chi honors society and a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. She has worked as a tutor in the Academic Success Center and currently works as a supplemental instructor for a Psychology 101 course. This is her third semester being a part of Dr. Bassett’s research team. After graduation she will stay at Lander to get her MBA while working as a graduate assistant in the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences.