Two studies on death anxiety and personal aspirations

Background: According to existential psychology, death awareness and death anxiety are important motivators of human behavior. Aim: To examine the effect of death anxiety (DA) and mortality salience (MS) on importance of intrinsic aspirations. Method: In the first correlational study, 457 students completed death anxiety scale (DAS) and aspiration index (AI). Then, to assess the effect of MS on the valuation of intrinsic aspirations in the second study that are experimental and by posttest with control group design, 155 students randomly assigned to experimental (MS + intrinsic aspirations) and control groups. Results: In the first study were observed respectively a positive and negative association between importance of image and self-acceptance with DA. The results of MANOVA in the second study showed that MS increased importance of intrinsic aspirations in the experimental group. Also, the effectiveness of MS was significant on importance of community contribution. Conclusion: The results emphasized to awakening role of death awareness on the investing in satisfactory aspirations (intrinsic aspirations) in accordance with the principles of classical views of humanist and existential psychologist and two more recent theories; Self-Determination Theory and Terror Management Theory.