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A terror management theory perspective on the appeal of historical myths

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2025

Tom Pyszczynski Open the ORCID record for Tom Pyszczynski [Opens in a new window] ,
Sheldon Solomon Open the ORCID record for Sheldon Solomon [Opens in a new window]  and
Jeff Greenberg Open the ORCID record for Jeff Greenberg [Opens in a new window]
Tom Pyszczynski*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA [email protected] [email protected]
Sheldon Solomon
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY, USA [email protected] [email protected]
Jeff Greenberg
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA [email protected] [email protected]
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

Historical myths are appealing primarily because they provide people with views of life and their role in it as significant and enduring. These worldviews help people manage death anxiety by enabling them to view themselves as part of something great that stretches far into the past and endures indefinitely into the future. We review empirical evidence supporting this analysis.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 47 , 2024 , e189
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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