Gender and Locus of Control as Predictors of Accidental Death Anxiety

Numerous studies on death anxiety report conflicting findings. Concluding that a lack of specificity may explain the mixed results, this study sought to address the lack of focus and to ektend and validate the results of an earlier study. A sample of 152 undergraduate students (111 female) from middle to upper-middle class participated. Subjects were informed that the study dealt with general life experiences and that some of the material might be unsettling. Researchers assessed predictor and criterion variables with a number of instruments. Results indicate that the strongest correlate of accidental-death anxiety was self-deception, followed by gender and locus of control. Not surprisingly, males tended to endorse the use of self-deception more often than females, which roy reflect society's description of masculine traits: unafraid, strong, in control. Likewise, an internal locus of control mirroring subjects' perceived ability to manipulate their environment apparently helps individuals cope with the notion of dying accidentally. Females were found to be more external than males, inuicating the women's relative lack of perceived control over their environment. The results lend conceptual support to the notion that increasing the specificity of items when assessing a particular construct increases predictive accuracy. (RJM) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******7.:**************************************************************** Gender and Locus of Control as Predictors of Accidental Death Anxiety Dennis A. Johnston & Martin F. Sherman Loyola College Baltimore, MD U S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Or of Fducat,onal Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document nu% been reproduced as received from the person or oroanizatIon onoinaling I Minor enanoes nave been made to improve reproduction Quality POints Cl wrevy of opinions staied inthrsdoCu rnent do not necessarily represent officrai DERI position or policy 'PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY P ":" 571N TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIGI Paper presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association, August, 1993, Toronto, Canada. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 ABSTRACT Relationships among accidental death anxiety, sex, and locus of control were examined using a sample of 152 undergraduate students. Exploratory analyses were performed to assess the influence of social desirable response bias. Furthermore, the notion of increasing specificity within an outcome measure to increase predictive accuracy was explored. Results indicated that women express higher accidental death anxiety than men. Internals were shown to report lower accidental death anxiety than externals. After statistically controlling for social desirable response bias an unexpected sex effect still existed. Lastly, conceptual support was lent to the notion that by increasing specificity, one increases predictive accuracy.Relationships among accidental death anxiety, sex, and locus of control were examined using a sample of 152 undergraduate students. Exploratory analyses were performed to assess the influence of social desirable response bias. Furthermore, the notion of increasing specificity within an outcome measure to increase predictive accuracy was explored. Results indicated that women express higher accidental death anxiety than men. Internals were shown to report lower accidental death anxiety than externals. After statistically controlling for social desirable response bias an unexpected sex effect still existed. Lastly, conceptual support was lent to the notion that by increasing specificity, one increases predictive accuracy.