The following text is about psychology.
Terror Management Theory (TMT), developed by social psychologists, proposes that awareness of mortality underlies much of human behavior. According to TMT, anxiety about death motivates people to embrace cultural worldviews that provide meaning, significance, and symbolic immortality—through family, legacy, or religious beliefs about afterlife. When reminded of death, research shows, people become more defensive of their cultural values and less tolerant of others who seem to challenge them. TMT offers a framework for understanding seemingly diverse phenomena: nationalism, aggression toward outgroups, and the pursuit of self-esteem.
According to Terror Management Theory, how do people manage awareness of mortality?
By completely suppressing all thoughts about death
By embracing cultural worldviews that provide meaning and symbolic immortality
By becoming more tolerant of all different perspectives
By abandoning all cultural beliefs
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the correct answer. People "embrace cultural worldviews that provide meaning, significance, and symbolic immortality" as a response to death anxiety.
- Evidence: Cultural worldviews provide meaning and symbolic immortality.
- Reasoning: These beliefs buffer against death anxiety.
- Conclusion: Cultural embrace manages mortality awareness.
Choice A is incorrect because it's managed through meaning, not suppression. Choice C is incorrect because people become "less tolerant" when reminded of death. Choice D is incorrect because cultural beliefs are embraced more strongly.