Communicating Science in Times of Crisis. Группа авторов
may be even more psychologically reassuring than the symbolic immortality offered by our CWV (Miller & Massey, 2019). Thus, developing more secure and deeper bonds may greatly reduce our reliance on self-serving, culturally “received” (as opposed to personally “authentic”) forms of coping, thereby obviating the need for many destructive, dissociative behaviors and biases.
A terror management perspective on meaning and growth may also provide many rich and effective ways for overcoming the tendency to behave in maladaptive ways, while adopting more growth-oriented paths toward a healthy and meaningful life (Rogers et al., 2019). Despite all the negative consequences the experience of existential anxiety may bring in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there may nonetheless be a silver lining at the end of this ordeal. As Rogers et al. (2019) suggest, reflecting upon our mortality in ways that purposefully illuminate the greater aspects of our individual nature can shift our focus toward the pursuit of more intrinsically (as opposed to extrinsically) rewarding goals, while promoting more prosocial actions, intentions, and behaviors. Although an unconscious focus on death can create anxiety and dread, a more conscious contemplative view of one’s mortal nature can relate positively to feelings of authenticity and worth and help to instill a stronger desire to live in greater health and harmony with those around us.
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