X-Message-Number: 27023 References: <> From: David Stodolsky <> Subject: Re: David Stodolsky 9/11/01 Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 21:03:47 +0200 On 12 Sep 2005, at 17:02, Billy H.Seidel wrote: > I guess I have not made it clear yet. "In memoriam: New York City, > 9/11/01" is a documentary and NOTHING more. The choice of topic is a political decision. This is particularly true in the case of symbols which have acquired mortality salience. It was shown in the below study that presentation of the symbol "9/11" was sufficient to change an election result - and it did, most likely: Deliver Us from Evil: The Effects of Mortality Salience and Reminders of 9/11 on Support for President George W. Bush Mark J. Landau University of Arizona Sheldon Solomon Skidmore College Jeff Greenberg University of Arizona Florette Cohen Rutgers University Tom Pyszczynski University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Jamie Arndt University of Missouri Claude H. Miller University of Oklahoma Daniel M. Ogilvie Rutgers University Alison Cook University of Missouri Abstract According to terror management theory (J. Greenberg, S. Solomon, & T. Pyszczynski, 1997), heightened concerns about mortality should intensify the appeal of charismatic leaders. To assess this idea, we investigated how thoughts about death and the 9/11 terrorist attacks influence Americans' attitudes toward current U.S. President George W. Bush. Study 1 found that reminding people of their own mortality (mortality salience) increased support for Bush and his counter- terrorism policies. Study 2 demonstrated that subliminal exposure to 9/11 related stimuli brought death-related thoughts closer to consciousness. Study 3 showed that reminders of both mortality and 9/11 increased support for Bush. In Study 4, mortality salience led participants to become more favorable toward Bush and voting for him in the upcoming election but less favorable toward Presidential candidate John Kerry and voting for him. Discussion focused on the role of terror management processes in allegiance to charismatic leaders and political decision-making. dss David Stodolsky Skype: davidstodolsky Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=27023