Mortality Salience and Working Memory
Loading...
Date
2012-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
A self threat is an event that threatens our self-esteem, self-image, public image, social acceptance, or perceived control (Leary, 2009). Research has shown that self threats, such as stereotype threat (Schmader & Johns, 2003) and social exclusion (Baumeister, Twenge, & Nuss, 2002), interfere with cognitive task performance, such as performance in intelligence tests and working memory capacity. We are investigating whether another self threat, specifically mortality salience – bringing awareness of one’s eventual death– also interferes with working memory capacities and intellectual performance. Replicating previous self threat research will allow us to suggest that there may be a common mechanism underlying the psychological effects of different self threats. We predicted that thinking about one’s death decreases working memory capacity and intelligence test performance and impairment in working memory capacity mediates the effect of mortality salience on decreased intelligence test performance. We tested our hypothesis with two experiments that included measures of relevant moderator variables, a manipulation of mortality salience, and measures of working memory capacity and intellectual performance. Participants first completed several questionnaires with variables that have shown to moderate effects of mortality salience. Finally, participants completed tasks measuring working memory capacities and intelligence. Results from Study 1 (N = 43) found that mortality salience decreased cognitive test performance, but did not affect working memory capacity scores. These findings suggest that the thought of one’s inevitable death reduces intellectual performance. However, we could not find evidence for a mediating mechanism of working memory capacity. Study 2 (N=44), implementing a different working memory task, showed that self-esteem moderated the effects of mortality salience on intellectual performance.
Description
Denman Undergraduate Research 2nd place winner for Psychology
Keywords
mortality salience, working memory, cognitive performance, self esteem