| dc.contributor.author | Myxter, Peter John | |
| dc.description.abstract | Research into the antecedents and consequences of successful goal pursuit is reviewed
within the framework of a proposed existential intervention for depression. Behavioral
perspectives propose that insufficient goal pursuit and concomitant positive reinforcement
leads to depressed mood. While substantial research has been conducted examining the
relation between goal pursuit and psychological well-being, little research exists regarding
strategies for fostering increased motivation for goal pursuit in depressed individuals. This
review suggests that novel strategies for increasing goal pursuit motivation can be derived
from the existential paradigm of Terror Management Theory (TMT). Past TMT research
indicates that reminders of mortality lead to greater valuing of the standards and values of
one's cultural worldview. The current study screened a sample of individuals exhibiting
depressed mood to examine whether reminders of mortality lead to greater valuing and
pursuit of individualized goals. Participants were randomly assigned to mortality salience
or control condition and completed depression and well-being measures in a baseline
session and a follow-up session two weeks later. Results indicated that reminders of
mortality did not lead to greater valuing and pursuit of individualized goals. | en_US |
| dc.publisher | North Dakota State University | en_US |
| dc.rights | NDSU policy 190.6.2 | en_US |
| dc.title | Conquering Avoidance by Avoiding Death: The Effects of Mortality Salience on Goal Value, Goal Commitment, and Goal Pursuit in Depressive Individuals | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-02-10T16:44:32Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-02-10T16:44:32Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2010 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10365/33657 | |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Depression, Mental. | en_US |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Death -- Psychological aspects. | en_US |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Attitude to Death. | en_US |
| dc.rights.uri | https://www.ndsu.edu/fileadmin/policy/190.pdf | en_US |
| ndsu.degree | Master of Science (MS) | en_US |
| ndsu.college | Science and Mathematics | en_US |
| ndsu.department | Psychology | en_US |
| ndsu.program | Psychology | en_US |
| ndsu.advisor | Ostafin, Brian | |
