title: Slowing Down Time: An Exploration of Personal Life Extension Desirability as it Relates to Religiosity and Specific Religious Beliefs.
abstract: As medical technology continues increasing the possibility of living a longer life, the public's valuing of these developments must be considered. This study examines attitudes toward extending the human life span within a student population at a Christian university. Religious factors were hypothesized to affect life extension desirability. Scores on measures of willingness to defer to God's will, meaning derived from religion, positive afterlife beliefs, and intrinsic religiosity were significantly and inversely related to life extension desirability. Implications of these findings are discussed, including encouraging medical practitioners to respect decision-making processes of religious persons who may find life extension interventions undesirable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA. sballinger@apu.edu.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ballinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Theresa Clement
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Tisdale
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences Education, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Sellen
authors.affiliation: Department of Graduate Psychology, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Loren A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002140:California; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012067:Religion; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Death attitudes; Life extension desirability; Religiosity