Fear of Death and the Concept of Extended Self

Abstract

287 participants, including 50 nuns, 25 schizophrenics and 42 alcoholics, answered a questionnaire with indices on fear of death and self-concept. Three hypotheses were confirmed. First, people indicating less fear were more likely to describe self as extending to include any other person. Second, people indicating fear more frequently described death as final, unnatural, providing no meaning to life, and cold. Third, people reported less fear and a more extended self if committed to religious life. The fourth hypothesis, that people would report more fear and a less extended self if diagnosed as mentally or emotionally troubled, was only partially supported, possibly because the troubled persons more frequently reported being confused about self.