Understanding Human Ambivalence About Sex:
The Effects of Stripping Sex of Meaning

continued from

Table 1. Mean and Standard Deviation Death Accessibility
Scores as a Function of Creatureliness Prime and Sex Condition

Note. Higher values reflect higher levels of death thought accessibility.

Table 2. Mean and Standard Deviation Negative Affect Scores as a Function of Creatureliness Prime and Sex Condition

Note. Higher values reflect higher levels of negative affect.

Table 3. Scores as a Function of Creatureliness Prime and Scores as a Function of Creatureliness Prime and Mortality Salience

(1) Our analysis of neuroticism does not preclude the possibility of a genetic or biological predisposition toward this condition. For a variety of reasons, there may be some people who are constitutionally impaired in their ability to become securely embedded in a symbolic conception of reality.

(2) Although one might be tempted to predict an interaction between MS and essay (as was found in Goldenberg et al., 2001), we did not hypothesize an interaction in this study because the evaluation of the essay occurred after participants were provided an opportunity to defend via responses to the physical sex items, and as has been shown previously (McGregor et al., 1998), defending in one manner eliminates the need to defend in another (i.e., dishing out hot sauce to an individual with a stomach ulcer eliminates negative evaluations). As expected, therefore, an ANOVA revealed no hint of an interaction between MS and essay condition (p > .51).

(3) To assess whether the essays were perceived as accurate, we formed a composite item by averaging responses on the last three items on the measure assessing reactions to the essays (see description in text). Whereas the first three items reflect reactions to the author, the last three assess the validity of the ideas expressed in the essays. The three items showed high internal validity (Cronbach's Alpha = .90).

by Jamie L. Goldenberg, Cathy R. Cox, Tom Pyszczynski, Jeff Greenberg, Sheldon Solomon

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