B. Review of related Theories 1. Terror Management Theories
Because this th esis explores someone’s reaction whenever they face
something which terrorize their mind, this thesis adopts terror management theory.
Terror management theory is a theory which revolves around the management of self esteem to control psychological conflict which is caused by
facing the terror of death. This theory is proposed by Seldon Solomon, Jeff Greenberg, and Tom Pyszczynski
Self-esteem is sought because it provides protection against the fear of death, the fear of death is rooted in an instinct for self-preservation that
humans share with other species. Although we share this instinct with other species, only we are aware that death is inevitable--that is, that our
self preservation instinct will inevitably be thwarted. Greenberg, Pyszczynski, Solomon, 1986: 1.
This theory seems to assume that self esteem management is important in coping against fear. Self Esteem can provide
protection to one’s mind because it will reduce the thought of fear as long as people can manage their self esteem
really well.
terror management theory, increased self-esteem
According to terror management theory, increased self esteem should enhance the functioning of the cultural anxiety buffer and thereby provide
protection against death concerns. In effect, high self-esteem should reduce the effects of MS on worldview defense.
Greenberg, Pyszczynski, Solomon, 1986: 6
People who have more self esteem is believed by this theory to be able to control their behavior and fear in front of other people whenever they were facing
terror of death. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Mruk 1999 also agreed that self esteem is an important factor in defending our mind from threatening factor. Mruk believed that people with high
self esteem will be able to develop a better control toward threatening thought.
a
People with either dispositionaly high or experimentally enhanced self- esteem exhibit less anxiety and anxiety-related defense in response to
threatening stimuli. High self esteem has also been shown to decrease defensive responses to thoughts of death.
Harmon-Jones, 1997 On the other hand, according to Mruk 1999 the mind of people with low
self esteem will more likely be affected when they are experiencing threatening stimuli that could affect their mind. Their emotion will be susceptible to various
negative effect because the lack of self esteem. People with lower trait self-esteem tend to experience virtually every
aversive emotion more frequently than people with higher self-esteem. Trait self-esteem correlates negatively with scores on measures of anxiety,
sadness, depression, hostility, anger, social anxiety, shame, guilt, loneliness, as well as general negative affectivity and neuroticism.
Mruk, 1999
In summary terror management theory believes that it is important for
people to manage their self esteem really well. Because if they want to have better control toward threatening thought, increasing their self esteem is useful to
maintaining their control toward their mindemotion. The more self esteem people have, the more they can control their emotion toward threatening stimuli. On the
other hand, people with low self esteem will more likely be unable to control their emotion toward threatening stimuli