The Roles of Self-Esteem and Attachment Within the Framework of Terror Management Theory

Year 2019, Volume: 11 Issue: 1, 129 - 139, 31.03.2019

Volkan Koç , Gülnihal Kafa

https://doi.org/10.18863/pgy.419330

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Built upon the idea that human beings, as the only
species whose members are aware of their own consciousness and future death,
have to come up with a system to deal with this awareness, Terror Management
theory aims to shed light on the mechanisms that human beings have developed in
order to avoid the cold fact of death. According to Terror Management Theory,
culture serves as an anxiety buffer against death by offering either a literal
or symbolic immortality. The sense of protection and safety provided by the
parental care in childhood is sought in the worldview in adulthood;  just like a child acting in a way to please
her/his parents to maintain their affection and care, an adult attains the
sense of safety by acting in compliance to her/his worldview. At this point,
self-esteem comes into the equation; individuals with high self-esteem
experience more sense of compliance with their worldview than those with low
self-esteem, and they feel less anxiety when their mortality is reminded to
them. Recent research links these with attachment styles. Relationships with
the environment and the primary caregiver in early childhood can be
determinative on self-esteem. In this study, it is aimed to review the ideas
presented here and developed within the framework of Terror Management Theory,
and to discuss the benefits that can be drawn from their findings, especially
in regards to clinical applications. 

Keywords

terror management, attachment, self-esteem

Dehşet Yönetimi Kuramı Çerçevesinde Benlik Saygısı ve Bağlanmanın Rolü

Abstract

İnsanın,
diğer canlılardan farklı olarak kendi bilincinin ve müstakbel ölümünün farkında
ve bu farkındalıkla başa çıkabilmek bir sistem geliştirme ihtiyacında olduğu
düşüncesinden yola çıkarak ortaya konan Terör Yönetimi Kuramı, insanın ölüm
gerçeğinden kaçmak için geliştirdiği mekanizmalara ışık tutmayı amaçlamaktadır.
Terör Yönetimi Kuramı’na göre kültür, gerçek ya da sembolik anlamda bir
ölümsüzlük vaadiyle ölüm karşısında bir kaygı tamponu görevi görmektedir.
Çocuklukta ebeveyn ilgisi ve sevgisinin sağladığı koruma ve güvenlik hissi
zamanla dünya görüşünde aranır; tıpkı anne-babanın sevgisini kazanmak için
onların istediği şekilde davranan bir çocuk gibi, bir yetişkin de dünya
görüşüne uygun davranarak güvenlik duygusunu elde eder. Bu noktada benlik saygısı
devreye girmektedir; benlik saygısı yüksek olan bireyler dünya görüşleriyle
uyum içerisinde olduklarını daha fazla hissetmekte ve ölümleri
belirginleştirildiğinde daha az kaygı hissetmektedirler. Yakın zamanda yapılan
çalışmalar, bu durumu bağlanma tarzlarıyla ilişkilendirmektedir. Erken çocukluk
döneminde çevre ve bakıcıyla olan ilişkiler, benlik saygısı üzerinde
belirleyici olabilmektedir. Bu çalışmada, Terör Yönetimi Kuramı çerçevesinde
sözü edilen bu görüşleri incelemek üzere yapılan çalışmaların derlenmesi ve
bulgularının klinik anlamda ne tür faydalar sağlayabileceğinin tartışılması
amaçlanmaktadır.  

Keywords

terör yönetimi, bağlanma, benlik saygısı

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