I am not an animal: Mortality salience, disgust, and the denial of human creatureliness

The present research investigated the need to distinguish humans from anima ls and tested the hypothesis derived from terror management theory that thi s need stems in part from existential mortality concerns. Specifically, the authors suggest that being an animal is threatening because if reminds peo ple of their vulnerability to death; therefore, reminding people of their m ortality was hypothesized to increase the need to distance from animals. In support, Study I revealed that reminders of death led to an increased emot ional reaction of disgust to body products and animals. Study 2 showed that compared to a control condition, mortality salience led to greater prefere nce for an essay describing people as distinct from animals; and within the mortality salient condition but not the control condition, the essay empha sizing differences from other animals was preferred to the essay emphasizin g similarities. The implications of these results for understanding why hum ans are so invested in beautifying their bodies and denying creaturely aspe cts of themselves are discussed.