Hindsight and foresight about terror management theory: Attempting to reconstruct terror management theory into comprehensive theoretical framework which explains within and between culture differences

Abstract

Terror management theory is a psychological theory which provides a possible answer to the question why human-beings need self-esteem and explains human social behavior in comprehensive manner. This article at first briefly introduces its theoretical backgrounds, assumptions, and main hypothesis. Review of studies based on terror management theory comes next. At last, studies which reported within- and between-culture differences of terror management strategy are introduced and suggestion concerning how terror management theory should incorporate these differences into its own theoretical framework was provided from the viewpoint of dynamic constructivism.