Online Interactions as a Terror Management Mechanism: How Death Anxiety Affects Facebook Use

Judith Partouche-Sebban
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Judith Partouche-Sebban: Paris School of Business, Paris, France

International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction (IJTHI), 2016, vol. 12, issue 4, 30-47

Abstract: Death is source of fascination and fear and the deny of death is at the basis of the human motivation. Terror Management Theory suggests that death awareness and the fundamental instinct of self-preservation create a potential for anxiety that individuals try to face by using different mechanisms oriented toward self-esteem striving. While existing research deals with the role of close relationships in the terror management, research on how online interactions may serve as a terror mechanism is lacking. This research seeks to examine the relationship between death anxiety and Facebook use. A quantitative study was conducted among 181 participants. Results show a positive relationship between death anxiety and Facebook use, as Facebook is a means to present a valuable self-image and gain social recognition. Contributions for social marketing in particular and limits of the study are discussed.

Date: 2016
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