Terror management theory is a psychological theory of human motivation and behavior proposed by Jeff Greenberg et al. (1986). The theory maintains that the motivation to reduce the fear of death represents a master motive that underpins many other social-cognitive motives (e.g., the need for coherent mental structures, the need for self-esteem) and influences a wide array of daily human activities.
Terror management theory (TMT; Greenberg et al. 1986) was proposed by a trio of social psychologists who were highly influenced by Ernest Becker’s broad interdisciplinary theory of human motivation. Becker’s (1973) account of the human condition involved integrating psychodynamic theory with existential philosophy. In essence, Becker argued that the motivational conflicts and dynamic psychological defenses emphasized in Freudian psychoanalysis stem from a deeply rooted fear of personal mortality. The manner in which an individual mitigates this fear represents his or.
