The scientists were hoping to see which group became more altruistic, and they succeeded. The findings were an interesting mix. Those primed in an abstract way by general thoughts about dying were more generous than the dentist-imagining controls, but only when the need was high. This result suggests that the abstract thinkers were reaffirming the societal expectation that it is good to give to the needy—not exactly a sweeping personal epiphany.
Those who were vividly primed by thoughts of their own death in flames, however, were even more generous than those primed in a more subtle and abstract way. They were willing to give blood whether the need was high or low, suggesting they had undergone a fundamental reexamination of their values.
Why would this difference exist? One possibility, as the scientists write in the online version of the journal Psychological Science, is that our abstract existential system has no tolerance for the gory details of death; in fact, abstract thoughts of death generate an aversion to bodily fluids, including blood. Indeed, previous experiments have supported this idea: after being reminded of their mortality, people are more squeamish about physical trauma. In the current study this aversion to blood was not strong enough to trump the cultural expectation that we should help those in need—but it carefully meted out generosity to those truly in the most need.
People who have come close to perishing, on the other hand, see things differently. For them, blood is not something aversive at all—it is the stuff of life.
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Add CommentThat was a somewhat interesting article. I am one of those lucky (unlucky by some accounts) that while I am not in the emergency services field, I tend to be in the wrong place and the wrong time. I have witnessed a lot death, some of it grisly, bloody and altogether horrifying - and I have performed emergency CPR for extended periods. I also skydive, SCUBA dive and enjoy taking risks (though less so as I age). I have more than once, been sure death was around the corner.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this1> I give blood, platelets, and plasma regularly and more so all time.
2> I frequently have to remind my family and children that blood, people and our parts are not "gross" but the stuff of life and fascinating in their function.
I think what I am trying to say is: My experience matches what this article claims. I do fear death - terrified of it - and after seeing the ugly part of death am certain I want to help others avoid it. It has also driven me to be more conservative and nationalistic - more so than most here. Lastly I find that lots of experience with death has made simple decision making easier - though that is a tenuous claim I am sure.
Interesting subject... but designing experiments to test psychological hypotheses is difficult at best... and drawing psycho-social conclusions even more tenuous.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt goes without saying that every person alive is not only on a journey toward death... duh... but there are daily reminders of our mortality, and thus, we have conscious and subconscious "coping" stategies.
One interesting facet of "modern" life is that we are generally divorced from the "blood and gore" of our "primitive" forebears... those that hunted daily and battled as tribes, up close and personal. It is far more abstract now... except in 3rd world countries... and some ghettos.
Anyway... i think it is absolutely important to come to terms with our mortality. I'm a naturalist and have find no evidence whatsoever for either a soul... or some ethereal immortality... much less a supernatural being in an evolving Cosmos. I periodically examine my life and if i have any anxiety about death... i try to remedy that.
My philosophy is summed up by Epicurus:
"Death is nothing to us... when we are, death has not come... when death has come, we are not".
There is good reason that those of us who have had a near death experiences are often lumped in with those who have had profound spiritual episodes. Having experienced complete cardiac arrest while fully conscious in a life and death setting, I can verify the experience reported by the "extensional conceptualizers".
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAlthough I did not realize it at the time, having previously meditated upon the world 20 years after my death had helped prepare me to encounter as close to the end as you can get and still pull back. [Answer in my case: the universe will not fall apart without me, by in large it will do what it already was going to do.]
I can also report, as have others, that upon the heart ceasing to beat, there is no desire to breath either. Apparently urge to breath is coupled with heart beat. So, the experience is incredibly calm. Apparently it takes a beating heart to really panic. You don't realize how much noise is caused by having to circulate blood and the act breathing until it all stops. Mind you this lasted only 5 seconds or so before successful restart of heart rhythm or this story could not have been told first hand. Even so it was a quite awhile before I was out of the woods.
As an active biological entity am I still terrified of going back towards the edge of death, but I have no concern whatsoever of being afraid when once again I have to accept arrival at death's door. This would seem consistent with the dual existential mind theory. By its very nature dying is an act of living, the final one, and it is possible to live well by dying well. Personally I would prefer to only do dying twice if I am given the choice.
What happens after dying completes, I have no idea. Before this experience, I went with hypotheses of presumed likelihood but came out absolutely not knowing. And that's good, because I also truly learned you can not fear what you do not know, only what you think you know. Religions that emphasize life after death may actually be causing more worry than relieving it.
A news story claiming there was no need for blood should be recognized as false, at least in the New York area. Blood is ALWAYS needed, even when there is no critical shortage.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAfter 9/11, we New Yorkers reexamined our priorities. People that never gave blood before did. I give regularly and had done so less than eight weeks before, so I couldn't. I did join the board of my neighborhood civic organization, where I still serve. And we got more "patriotic"; if I wasn't pushing 50 I might have joined the Army to go kick some butt. Question: We still have enemies, and they're still trying to do us harm. Where's the anger? Why have we forgotten so soon?
I'm a critical care nurse and have seen more death than most people can imagine (it's sort of like being a soldier...the only people who really understand what this feels like are other health care workers working in critical areas). I would like to suggest that there is also an element of "bargaining" going on with the people who give blood, maybe even unconsciously. When you are exposed to a lot of death (and blood and gore), you really think about it a lot, like ALL THE TIME. It's tough.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMany years ago I was riding my motorcycle on a main divided road when an approaching car that had decided to make an abrupt left turn at an intersection crossed in front of me. I did an instinctive "stoppy" going up on the front wheel of the bike , but was too close to avoid hitting the car. I hit the rear quarter panel and was catapulted over the rear window/ trunk of the car. As I flew through the air, my thoughts were of my young children and I knew that my estranged wife would pick them up (I had custody)and take care of them if I were not to survive. My thoughts were calm and coherent with a multitude of hypotheses of how this incident would play out. Fortunately, when I hit the pave, I rolled and ended up in a sitting position with some broken bones and sprains but not dead. I found it incredible, the multiplicity of thoughts that went through my mind in the scant second or so of air time. There was no fear of my impending demise or the outcome for my children if I was killed. I never experienced more than a minor amount of anxiety on how to contact my children. I wonder about others in similar situations.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOne might imagine a single person experiencing an intense life threatening experience at one age with the 'aha' re-evaluation moment, but the same person, at a later age with no recent intense experiences having very different feelings when thinking about mortality. 2 minds indeed.
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