Cognitive Scaffold

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MENTAL MODEL · M1660

Terror Management Theory, TMT

Terror Management Theory, TMT
BehaviorHigh supportSocial Psychology
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

Most human behaviors (pursuing self-esteem, religious belief, accumulating wealth, establishing culture) are essentially aimed at alleviating the subconscious fear of death. When reminded that 'all men are mortal,' people become more defensive of their worldview and more aggressive toward dissenters.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Irrational insight: explains why people become more conservative and xenophobic during crises (e.g., pandemics, wars). If you want to sell insurance or luxury homes, subtly triggering this anxiety (emphasizing legacy/eternity) can sometimes be more effective than emphasizing benefits.

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Anchor fast decisions

Terror Management Theory: Humans experience existential anxiety due to the knowledge of inevitable death, and rely on cultural worldviews (meaning) and self-esteem (value) as psychological buffers to manage death-related fears. When death is made salient, behavior changes.

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Source support: Explicit

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    zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%81%90%E6%87%BC%E7%AE%A1%E7%90%86%E7%90%86%E8%AB%96ZH · Explicit
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