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Abstract

In this article, an analysis has been provided of the counterintuitive affective response Old Order Amish youth make to unique cultural prescriptions for adolescent deviance, which have been constructed by adult Amish culture. Data reported on were gathered as part of a larger ethnographic study and through more than 60 in-depth interviews on this particular topic. Evidence was found that supports the basic principles of Terror Management Theory, although in an unexpected and indirect fashion. Rather than function as a specialized cultural-anxiety buffer against fear generated by the contemplation of mortality, as Terror Management Theory would predict, the deviance prescribed for youth culture produces high levels of anxiety and depression for Amish youth. In this cultural context, youth find existential value in adult, not youth, culture.

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The “Simmie” Side of Life

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