References: Mortality & acceptance

The key studies and reviews behind these pathways – organised by page, so you can see exactly what each claim on the site is based on.

Greenberg, J., Pyszczynski, T. & Solomon, S. (1986). “The causes and consequences of a need for self-esteem: A terror management theory.” In Public Self and Private Self. Springer. The founding paper behind terror management theory, the research this page draws on for its account of unexamined death anxiety driving status-seeking, tribal loyalty and harsh judgement of outsiders.
Burke, B.L., Martens, A. & Faucher, E.H. (2010). “Two Decades of Terror Management Theory: A Meta-Analysis of Mortality Salience Research.” Personality and Social Psychology Review, 14(2), 155–195. A large meta-analysis supporting this page’s claim that a body of research has consistently found unexamined fear of death shaping ordinary behaviour.

Wegner, D.M., Schneider, D.J., Carter, S.R. & White, T.L. (1987). “Paradoxical effects of thought suppression.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(1), 5–13. The original “white bear” experiments this page describes directly, and the empirical backbone behind its case for acceptance over suppression.
Hayes, S.C., Luoma, J.B., Bond, F.W., Masuda, A. & Lillis, J. (2006). “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Model, processes and outcomes.” Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1–25. A review supporting this page’s claim that approaches built around acceptance consistently outperform pure avoidance strategies.