During the COVID-19 pandemic, reminders of death are so ubiquitous that it is almost impossible to avoid death-related thoughts. This research examined the effect of COVID-19-induced thoughts of death on life evaluation, a core component of well-being, and investigated the moderating role of goal orientation in this effect. Results from two experiments (N = 384) indicated that participants with a relative orientation toward extrinsic aspirations (wealth, fame, image) decreased their life evaluation, both when under conscious death thoughts (Study 1) and after being distracted from these thoughts (Study 2). By contrast, participants with a relative orientation toward intrinsic aspirations (personal growth, meaningful relationships, community contributions) increased their life evaluation when under conscious death thoughts, while they maintained their baseline life evaluation after being distracted from these thoughts. This research also found evidence for the moderating role of belongingness. However, no evidence was found for the moderating roles of self-esteem and attachment style.

中文翻译：

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在大流行期间，死亡和内在/外在目标导向的想法如何影响幸福感

在 COVID-19 大流行期间，死亡的提醒无处不在，以至于几乎不可能避免与死亡有关的想法。这项研究检验了 COVID-19 引起的死亡思想对生命评估（幸福感的核心组成部分）的影响，并调查了目标导向在这种影响中的调节作用。两个实验的结果（N = 384) 表明，在有意识的死亡想法（研究 1）和被这些想法分心后（研究 2），对外在愿望（财富、名誉、形象）有相对取向的参与者降低了他们的生活评估。相比之下，具有内在愿望（个人成长、有意义的关系、社区贡献）的相对取向的参与者在有意识的死亡想法下增加了他们的生活评估，而在分散了这些想法后，他们保持了他们的基线生活评估。这项研究还发现了归属感的调节作用的证据。然而，没有发现自尊和依恋风格的调节作用的证据。