University Presentation Showcase: Undergraduate Division
Are Animals Good or Bad?: Animal Attitudes as A Terror Management Mechanism in Response to Mortality Salience
Presenter Hometown
Cincinnati
Major
Animal Studies, Psychology
Department
Psychology
Degree
Undergraduate
Mentor
Dr. Robert Mitchell
Mentor Department
Psychology
Recommended Citation
Rhame, LiEllen M., "Are Animals Good or Bad?: Animal Attitudes as A Terror Management Mechanism in Response to Mortality Salience" (2021). University Presentation Showcase Event. 20.
https://encompass.eku.edu/swps/2021/undergraduate/20
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate Terror Management Theory in relation to attitudes toward animals, specifically an individual’s evaluative perception of nonhuman animals. This theory postulates that fear of death can be staved off via self-esteem and worldview (Goldenberg et al., 2001). Those who view humans as better than animals when presented with information that threatens that worldview, tend to view animals more negatively. There will be a maximum of 150 participants. Participants will either be introductory animal studies or introductory psychology students. They will be randomly assigned to a mortality salience prime or control condition. After a delay, they will either read an article that emphasizes bonobo intellectual similarities or differences to humans. Participants will rate the article as a manipulation check, and then complete the Animal Attitudes Questionnaire. We expect that introductory psychology students who were given a mortality salience prime and who were in the bonobo similarities article condition, will have the most negative views toward animals. We believe the information from this study will be helpful in striving to treat nonhuman animals better.
(This will be a proposal-oriented poster).
Keywords: Terror Management Theory, Mortality Salience, Animal Attitudes, Worldview
Presentation format
Poster
Are Animals Good or Bad?: Animal Attitudes as A Terror Management Mechanism in Response to Mortality Salience
The purpose of this study is to investigate Terror Management Theory in relation to attitudes toward animals, specifically an individual’s evaluative perception of nonhuman animals. This theory postulates that fear of death can be staved off via self-esteem and worldview (Goldenberg et al., 2001). Those who view humans as better than animals when presented with information that threatens that worldview, tend to view animals more negatively. There will be a maximum of 150 participants. Participants will either be introductory animal studies or introductory psychology students. They will be randomly assigned to a mortality salience prime or control condition. After a delay, they will either read an article that emphasizes bonobo intellectual similarities or differences to humans. Participants will rate the article as a manipulation check, and then complete the Animal Attitudes Questionnaire. We expect that introductory psychology students who were given a mortality salience prime and who were in the bonobo similarities article condition, will have the most negative views toward animals. We believe the information from this study will be helpful in striving to treat nonhuman animals better.
(This will be a proposal-oriented poster).
Keywords: Terror Management Theory, Mortality Salience, Animal Attitudes, Worldview
