SYMBOLIC IMMORTALITY AND THE MANAGEMENT OF THE TERROR OF DEATH - THE MODERATING ROLE OF ATTACHMENT STYLE

Three studies were designed to examine the contribution of R. J. Lifto n's (1979) symbolic immortality construct to the management of the ter ror of death and to investigate whether attachment style may underlie this contribution. Using a sample of 420 Israeli students, Study 1 rev ealed an inverse correlation between self-reports of symbolic immortal ity and fear of personal death. This finding was validated in Study 2 (N = 120), which found that high symbolic immortality reduced the effe cts of a death salience manipulation on the level of punishment given to a social transgressor. Study 3 (N = 270) refined the association be tween symbolic immortality and fear of death. The inverse correlation found in Study 1 was revealed only among securely attached persons. Th e discussion emphasizes the interconnectedness between personality, sy mbolic immortality, and the management of the terror of death.