An Atheist Perspective on Self-Esteem and Meaning Making while under Death Awareness
In: Secular StudiesGrand Valley State University USA
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Abstract
In accordance with Terror Management Theory research, secular beliefs can serve an important role for mitigating existential concerns by providing atheists with a method to attain personal meaning and bolster self-esteem. Although much research has suggested that religious beliefs are powerful defense mechanisms, these effects are limited or reveal more nuanced effects when attempting to explain atheists’ (non)belief structures. The possibility of nonbelief that provides meaning in the “here and now” is reinforced by the importance placed on scientific discovery, education, and social activism by many atheists. Thus, these values and ideologies can, and do, allow for empirically testable claims within a Terror Management framework. Although religious individuals can and largely do use religion as a defense strategy against existential concerns, purely secular ideologies are more effective for atheists providing evidence for a hierarchical approach and individual differences within worldview defenses. Evidence for and implications of these arguments are discussed.
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An Atheist Perspective on Self-Esteem and Meaning Making while under Death Awareness
In: Secular StudiesGrand Valley State University USA
Search for other papers by Thomas J. Coleman III in
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Search for other papers by Kenan Sevinç in
Current site
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Search for other papers by Ralph W. Hood Jr. in
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Abstract
In accordance with Terror Management Theory research, secular beliefs can serve an important role for mitigating existential concerns by providing atheists with a method to attain personal meaning and bolster self-esteem. Although much research has suggested that religious beliefs are powerful defense mechanisms, these effects are limited or reveal more nuanced effects when attempting to explain atheists’ (non)belief structures. The possibility of nonbelief that provides meaning in the “here and now” is reinforced by the importance placed on scientific discovery, education, and social activism by many atheists. Thus, these values and ideologies can, and do, allow for empirically testable claims within a Terror Management framework. Although religious individuals can and largely do use religion as a defense strategy against existential concerns, purely secular ideologies are more effective for atheists providing evidence for a hierarchical approach and individual differences within worldview defenses. Evidence for and implications of these arguments are discussed.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 1721 | 411 | 43 |
| Full Text Views | 169 | 7 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 262 | 19 | 4 |
