Breanne Hoffman
PSY 492
Assignment 2
Hero-systems Vs. Death
Before perusing “Is Death Really the Worm at the Core?” (, I reflected upon Ernest
Becker’s idea of “hero systems” and how although they are fictitious, people cling to them in
order to escape the overwhelming emotions accompanying anxiety and despair. In a sense, I
agree with Becker’s statement because as humans who are aware of our existence, it is clear that
we are also aware of our end and the uncertainty that follows the inevitably of our deaths. One
can never be certain if we are headed in the right direction and hero systems, such as our cultural
worldview, provide us with a sense of direction, infuse our lives with meaning, and most
importantly, provide an outline to follow in order to deal with the uncertainty and chaos that
presents itself in everyday life. I would like to think that some of these hero systems are not
fictitious, but are real, and we project a bit of ourselves to the hero system with the idea that
someday, we can become the hero that others need to find strength, comfort, and safety from that
which we fear. We need something to believe in because it gives us a boost of confidence and a
hope that perhaps our death is not really the end, but is indeed just the beginning.
Now, an interesting theory that has been brought forth is the idea of the death-thought
accessibility (DTA) hypothesis which according to Hayes, Jarig, Schimel, and Williams (2007)
is based upon that extra emphasis and attachment we have to our cultural worldviews and how
they buffer us from overwhelming thoughts of death. Because we cling so desperately to these
worldviews, the theory is posited that if these structures become weakened, then it could create
uncertainty and can bring thoughts of death and despair to the forefront. This particular study
offered moderate support for the DTA hypothesis because in the first experiments Hayes et. al
(2007) had Canadian participants view either an anti-Canadian webpage or an anti-Australia
webpage that basically attacked elements of both cultures. The participants that viewed the antiCanada page had more negative thoughts and completed more words in relation to death
following their exposure to the anti-Canadian webpage compared to those who viewed the other
webpage. This experiment certainly suggested that those participants who clung to their hero
system and found that the webpage was knocking down the solid walls of their worldview that
they had put so much meaning and so much of themselves into, were more likely to choose to
construct words that were related to death. They could have filled in the word fragments in a
different way, but it appears that these death-related thoughts became more salient after their
specific worldviews were attacked.
Another study that supported the DTA hypothesis was study two and Hayes et al. (2007)
had participants view the anti-Canadian websites, yet this time, they either had a disclaimer
present that the person who made the website had to take it down and was angry at the time the
webpage was created or they had a neutral disclaimer that suggested nothing about the author’s
views. The results revealed that those who received the disclaimer about the author’s attitudes
were able to dismiss this threat, as opposed to those who received the neutral disclaimer and
completed the word fragments with more death words. Again, this speaks to the idea that if one
cannot make a valid counterargument or cannot dismiss the attacks directed at their worldview,
then it tears away at the safety net they have constructed and it allows negative thoughts to enter.
Finally, the last study that Hayes et al. (2007) completed covered a different worldview
besides just a nationalistic one and focused their work upon two world views that individuals
ferociously defend: creationism and evolution. They had participants that ascribed to these
worldviews read an article that was against creationism and those that subscribed to this
viewpoint, had more thoughts present about death in comparison to their evolutionary and
creationist peers who read a non-threatening article. I thought this particular study was relevant
and truly supported the DTA theory because those that felt their beliefs were coming under
attack were the ones who expressed more death-related thoughts. This idea that the worldview
individuals so desperately cling to is under fire and could collapse could create a significant
increase in anxiety and fear. If I did not have a strong counter argument to these attacks or a way
to dismiss them, then it could certainly lead to a questioning of whether this is the right view to
hold and whether it has truly given my life meaning. After all, one of the main goals we hold
dear is to find meaning in a life that is surely going to end.
References