According to terror management theory, how do people respond when confronted with reminders of their mortality?

According to terror management theory, when individuals are faced with reminders of their mortality, they often respond by adhering more strongly to their cultural worldviews. This phenomenon occurs because cultural worldviews provide individuals with a sense of meaning, purpose, and stability in an uncertain world. By reaffirming their beliefs and values, people can mitigate existential anxiety and maintain a sense of belonging and identity. This response serves as a psychological defense mechanism that helps to buffer the fear associated with the awareness of death.

In this context, reinforcing cultural beliefs helps individuals to feel more secure about their place in the world. When confronted with existential threats, such as mortality reminders, the tendency to cling to these worldviews becomes even more pronounced, as they offer comfort and a way to conceptualize life and death within a broader framework.