a climate of change chapter one attitudes toward death copyright © 2011 lynne ann despelder and...

A Climate of ChangeA Climate of Change

Chapter OneChapter One

Attitudes Toward Death

Attitudes Toward Death

Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee StricklandCopyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland


Expressions of Attitudes Toward Death Expressions of Attitudes Toward Death

Mass mediaMass media LanguageLanguage MusicMusic


Expressions of Attitudes Toward Death (continued)

Expressions of Attitudes Toward Death (continued)

LiteratureLiterature Visual artsVisual arts HumorHumor


Mass MediaMass Media

Internet newsInternet news NewscastsNewscasts NewspaperNewspaper TelevisionTelevision


Mass Media: Entertaining DeathMass Media: Entertaining Death

Nature programsNature programs CartoonsCartoons Soap operasSoap operas SportsSports


Mass Media: Entertaining Death (continued)Mass Media: Entertaining Death (continued)

WesternsWesterns Thrillers / Slasher filmsThrillers / Slasher films Prime-time television Prime-time television

seriesseries


Language: “Death Talk”Language: “Death Talk”

EuphemismsEuphemisms MetaphorsMetaphors SlangSlang Sympathy cardsSympathy cards Death narrativesDeath narratives


Death in the ArtsDeath in the Arts

MusicMusic LiteratureLiterature Visual artsVisual arts


MusicMusic

Death themes and imageryDeath themes and imagery Response to tragedyResponse to tragedy DirgesDirges LamentsLaments


LiteratureLiterature

PoetryPoetry NovelsNovels DramaDrama Vigilante storiesVigilante stories ElegiesElegies


Visual ArtsVisual Arts

SymbolsSymbols SignsSigns ImagesImages MemorialsMemorials Homemade condolencesHomemade condolences


Humor as a Coping MechanismHumor as a Coping Mechanism

Defuses anxietyDefuses anxiety Raises consciousnessRaises consciousness Release from painRelease from pain Encourages togethernessEncourages togetherness Social glueSocial glue Offers reassurance Offers reassurance


Humor as a Coping Mechanism (continued)Humor as a Coping Mechanism (continued)

Maintains balanceMaintains balance Encourages empathyEncourages empathy Moderates negative life eventsModerates negative life events Communicates important Communicates important

messages delicatelymessages delicately Helps confront fearsHelps confront fears


Living with Awareness of DeathLiving with Awareness of Death

Contemplating mortalityContemplating mortality Dimensions of thanatologyDimensions of thanatology Death anxiety and fear of deathDeath anxiety and fear of death Terror managementTerror management


Dimensions of ThanatologyDimensions of Thanatology

Philosophical and ethicalPhilosophical and ethical ReligiousReligious PsychologicalPsychological SociologicalSociological AnthropologicalAnthropological


Dimensions of Thanatology(continued)Dimensions of Thanatology(continued)

ClinicalClinical PoliticalPolitical EducationalEducational PracticalPractical


Death Anxiety and Fear of DeathDeath Anxiety and Fear of Death

Relationship with mortalityRelationship with mortality Death anxiety researchDeath anxiety research Terror management theoryTerror management theory


Terror management (Becker)Terror management (Becker)

World is terrifying placeWorld is terrifying place Keep the terror unconsciousKeep the terror unconscious Perceive threat as struggle against Perceive threat as struggle against

ultimate evilultimate evil Relieve fear by finding meaning Relieve fear by finding meaning

in lifein life


Studying Death and DyingStudying Death and Dying

Formal and informal (“teachable Formal and informal (“teachable moments”)moments”)

InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary Objective factsObjective facts Subjective concernsSubjective concerns


Pioneers in Death StudiesPioneers in Death Studies

Gorer, “Pornography of Death” Gorer, “Pornography of Death” (1955)(1955)

Feifel, APA symposium (1956)Feifel, APA symposium (1956) Saunders, “Care of the Dying” Saunders, “Care of the Dying”

(1959)(1959)


Pioneers in Death Studies (continued)Pioneers in Death Studies (continued)

Fulton, first university course Fulton, first university course (1963)(1963)

Parsons, “Death in American Parsons, “Death in American Society (1963)Society (1963)

Glasser and Strauss studies (1965 Glasser and Strauss studies (1965 and 1968)and 1968)


Pioneers in Death Studies (continued)Pioneers in Death Studies (continued)

KKübler-Ross, “On Death and übler-Ross, “On Death and Dying” (1969)Dying” (1969)

Hamline University, first Hamline University, first conference (1970conference (1970


Factors Affecting Familiarity with DeathFactors Affecting Familiarity with Death

Life expectancy and mortality Life expectancy and mortality ratesrates

Causes of deathCauses of death Geographic mobilityGeographic mobility


Factors Affecting Familiarity with Death (continued)

Factors Affecting Familiarity with Death (continued)

Displacement of death from the Displacement of death from the homehome

Life-extending technologiesLife-extending technologies Delegating to professionalsDelegating to professionals


Changing Causes of DeathChanging Causes of Death

Early 1900s: Acute infectious Early 1900s: Acute infectious disease with sudden onset and disease with sudden onset and death soon following (e.g., death soon following (e.g., diphtheria)diphtheria)


Changing Causes of DeathChanging Causes of Death

Today: Chronic illness typically Today: Chronic illness typically following a slow progressive following a slow progressive course lasting weeks, months, or course lasting weeks, months, or years (e.g., cancer)years (e.g., cancer)


Epidemiologic TransitionEpidemiologic Transition

Historical shift in disease patternsHistorical shift in disease patterns Redistribution of deaths from Redistribution of deaths from

young to oldyoung to old Reduced risk of dying at a young Reduced risk of dying at a young

age from infectious diseasesage from infectious diseases Survival into older ages and death Survival into older ages and death

from degenerative diseasesfrom degenerative diseases


Death in a Cosmopolitan SocietyDeath in a Cosmopolitan Society

Diversity Diversity PluralismPluralism Cultural complexityCultural complexity Global viewGlobal view ““Managed death”Managed death”


Exploring Your Own Losses and AttitudesExploring Your Own Losses and Attitudes

Individual preferencesIndividual preferences Cultural perspectivesCultural perspectives Meaningful choicesMeaningful choices LossographyLossography

a climate of change chapter one attitudes toward death copyright © 2011 lynne ann despelder and...

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