The hypothesis of a positive relationship between fear of death and fertility previously was examined by the authors and was confirmed among a sample subset. The present re-investigation of the hypothesis incorporated numerous methodological revisions and produced radically different results using the data drawn from 562 respondents during October, 1978 to March, 1979. These findings amassed considerable evidence for rejection of the hypothesis. Since the focal methodological revision was the substitution of a different measure of death fear, it seemed defensible to question the reliability of direct measures of death fear presently being employed.
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