Theory Database - Theory 75: Terror Management Theory

This is a searchable database of theories of behaviour change that have been formalised according to an Ontology-Based Modelling System.

For more information, see:

West, R., Godinho, C. A., Bohlen, L. C., Carey, R. N., Hastings, J., Lefevre, C. E., & Michie, S. (2019). Development of a formal system for representing behaviour-change theories. Nature human behaviour, 3(5), 526. doi.org/10.1038/s41562-019-0561-2.
Hale, J., Hastings, J., West, R., Lefevre, C. E., Direito, A., Connell Bohlen, L., Godinho, C., Anderson, N., Zink, S., Goarke, H., and Michie, S. (2020) An ontology-based modelling system (OBMS) for representing behaviour change theories applied to 76 theories [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]. Wellcome Open Research.

Number of Constructs: 7
Number of Triples: 7

Potential terror
Need for self-esteem The need to view oneself as valuable; serves as a buffer against anxiety [ BCIO:006066 (Need for self-esteem) 75 ]
Need for faith in cultural worldview Maintaining loyalty, belief and trust in the reality, significance and permanence of cultural drama [ BCIO:050718 (Need to hold a world view) 75 ]
Social behaviour Any action that is influenced, directly or indirectly, by others, who may be actually present, imagined, expected or implied [ BCIO:050441 (Socially-related behaviour) 75 ]
Reduced potential for terror and anxiety
Awareness of mortality [ BCIO:006015 (Awareness) 75 52 54 ]
Desire for continued life [ BCIO:006063 (Personal value) 75 42 1 83 69 ]

Greenberg, J., Pyszczynski, T. & Solomon, S. (1986). The Cause and Consequences of a Need for Self-Esteem: A Terror Management Theory. In R.F. Baumeister (Ed.), Public Self and Private Self (pp. 189-212). SpringerLink.