Transgender identity and death thought accessibility: a terror management analysis

Abstract

Terror Management Theory (TMT) suggests that death thought accessibility (DTA) increases after a cultural worldview threat, particularly for those who put heavy emphasis on the threatened worldview in their social identity. One particularly salient and politically polarizing worldview in contemporary America concerns the rights of transgender people. In Study 1, I examined if reading about an increase in rates of people with transgender identity (vs. increased rates of resident mobility) in the United States would increase Republicans' (n = 110) vs. Democrats' (n = 120) DTA. Surprisingly, results showed that Republicans' DTA significantly decreased after reading about transgender people. In Study 2, I aimed to replicate Study 1 and included an additional experimental condition and only recruited Republicans (n = 500). In the new condition, participants read information that directly and explicitly challenge anti-trans sentiments in the contemporary U.S., such as transgender people having always existed, and deserving respect in their gender-matching bathroom use in society and took the same DTA measure. Results of Study 2 did not replicate Study 1 and found that Republicans' DTA increased after reading both experimental manipulations compared to the control condition. Theoretical contributions and future directions are discussed.