What If They’re Right About the Afterlife? Evidence of the Role of Existential Threat on Anti-Atheist Prejudice

@article{Cook2015WhatIT,
  title={What If They’re Right About the Afterlife? Evidence of the Role of Existential Threat on Anti-Atheist Prejudice},
  author={C. Cook and Florette Cohen and S. Solomon},
  journal={Social Psychological and Personality Science},
  year={2015},
  volume={6},
  pages={840 - 846}
}
Terror management theory posits that the uniquely human awareness of death gives rise to potentially paralyzing terror that is assuaged by embracing cultural worldviews that provide a sense that one is a valuable participant in a meaningful universe. We propose that pervasive and pronounced anti-atheist prejudices stem, in part, from the existential threat posed by conflicting worldview beliefs. Two studies were conducted to establish that existential concerns contribute to anti-atheist… Expand
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