title: Delay and death-thought accessibility: a meta-analysis.
abstract: The dual-process component of Terror Management Theory (TMT) proposes that different types of threats lead to increases in death-thought accessibility (DTA) after different delay intervals. Experimental studies of terror management threats' effect on DTA were collected and coded for their use of explicitly death-related (vs. not explicitly death-related) threats, and for their use of delay and task-switching during the delay. Results reveal that studies using death-related threats achieved larger DTA effect-sizes when they included more task-switching or a longer delay between the threat and the DTA measurement. In contrast, studies using threats that were not explicitly death-related achieved smaller DTA effect-sizes when they included more task-switching between the threat and the DTA measurement. These findings provide partial support for the dual-process component's predictions regarding delay and DTA. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Kent State University, OH, USA csteinma@kent.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Steinman
authors.affiliation: Kent State University, OH, USA.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Updegraff
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003643:Death; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011582:Psychological Theory; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D023481:Terrorism / Q000523:psychology*; D013850:Thinking
keywords: death-thought accessibility; delay; dual process; meta-analysis; terror management