BACKGROUND The present study analyzes how attitudes can polarize after reminders of death in the context of persuasion, and proposes that a meta-cognitive process (i.e., self-validation) can serve as a compensatory coping mechanism to deal with mortality salience. METHOD Participants were first asked to read either a strong or a weak resume of a job applicant. Next, they listed their initial thoughts about that applicant. Then, they were asked to think about of their own death (i.e., mortality salience condition) versus being asked to think about of being cold (i.e., control condition). Finally, participants reported the confidence in their thoughts, as well as their attitudes towards the applicant. RESULTS Participants who were assigned to the mortality salience (vs. control) condition showed greater impact of their previously generated thoughts on their subsequent attitudes. Additionally, as hypothesized, this effect of attitude polarization was mediated by changes in thought confidence. CONCLUSIONS Attitudes unrelated to mortality can be polarized by reminders of death and this effect can operate through a meta-cognitive process of thought validation. Implications for persuasion, self-validation, and beyond are discussed.

中文翻译：

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作为死亡率显着性函数的态度极化：元认知分析。

背景 本研究分析了在劝说的情况下，在提醒死亡后态度如何两极分化，并提出元认知过程（即自我验证）可以作为一种补偿性应对机制来处理死亡显着性。方法首先要求参与者阅读求职者的强简历或弱简历。接下来，他们列出了他们对该申请人的最初想法。然后，他们被要求考虑自己的死亡（即死亡率显着条件）与被要求考虑冷（即控制条件）。最后，参与者报告了他们对自己想法的信心，以及他们对申请人的态度。结果 被分配到死亡率显着性的参与者（vs. 控制）条件显示出他们先前产生的想法对他们随后的态度的更大影响。此外，正如假设的那样，态度两极分化的这种影响是由思想信心的变化所调节的。结论 与死亡无关的态度可能会因死亡提醒而两极分化，这种影响可以通过思想验证的元认知过程发挥作用。讨论了对说服、自我验证等的影响。