Self-transcendent media experiences can instill a sense of connectedness, the sense of being part of a bigger whole. Proposing that this experience is relevant for people who have lost a loved one, the present research examined processing and effects of transcendent narratives of loss among the bereaved. Study 1 (N = 1,012) examined if personal experience with loss (grief severity, loss acceptance) increased mixed affect, transportation, identification, and appreciation of narratives of loss with, and without a reference to transcendence; Study 2 (N = 240) examined effects on elevation and connectedness. Findings showed that transcendent narratives of loss increased transportation, identification, and story appreciation especially for individuals with severe grief. Conversely, transcendent narratives of loss increased elevation, and connectedness especially for individuals with low grief. Findings suggest that transcendent narratives of loss resonate with severe personal grief. We found no evidence that a transcendent perspective on death reflects difficulty in accepting one’s personal loss.

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“他们从未真正离开我们”：关于失去的超然叙事与严重悲伤的经历产生共鸣

自我超越的媒体体验可以灌输一种联系感，一种成为更大整体的一部分的感觉。提出这种经历与失去亲人的人有关，本研究检查了失去亲人的超然叙述的处理和影响。研究 1 (N = 1,012) 检查了个人的损失经历（悲伤的严重程度、损失的接受程度）是否增加了对损失叙述的混合情感、运输、识别和欣赏，无论是否涉及超越；研究 2 (N = 240) 检查了对海拔和连通性的影响。研究结果表明，关于失去的超然叙述增加了交通、识别和故事欣赏，特别是对于那些有严重悲伤的人。相反，关于失去的超然叙述增加了高度，和连通性，特别是对于悲伤程度较低的人。研究结果表明，关于失去的超然叙述与严重的个人悲伤产生共鸣。我们没有发现任何证据表明对死亡的超验观点反映了接受个人损失的困难。