1.  A Climate of Change  Chapter One  Attitudes Toward Death Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland

2. Expressions of Attitudes Toward Death n Mass media n Language n Music

3. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Expressions of Attitudes Toward Death (continued) n Literature n Visual arts n Humor

4. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Mass Media n Internet news n Newscasts n Newspaper n Television

5. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Mass Media: Entertaining Death n Nature programs n Cartoons n Soap operas n Sports

6. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Mass Media: Entertaining Death (continued) n Westerns n Thrillers / Slasher films n Prime-time television series

7. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Language: “Death Talk” n Euphemisms n Metaphors n Slang n Sympathy cards n Death narratives

8. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Death in the Arts n Music n Literature n Visual arts

9. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Music n Death themes and imagery n Response to tragedy n Dirges n Laments

10. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Literature n Poetry n Novels n Drama n Vigilante stories n Elegies

11. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Visual Arts n Symbols n Signs n Images n Memorials n Homemade condolences

12. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Humor as a Coping Mechanism n Defuses anxiety n Raises consciousness n Release from pain n Encourages togetherness n Social glue n Offers reassurance

13. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Humor as a Coping Mechanism (continued) n Maintains balance n Encourages empathy n Moderates negative life events n Communicates important messages delicately n Helps confront fears

14. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Living with Awareness of Death n Contemplating mortality n Dimensions of thanatology n Death anxiety and fear of death n Terror management

15. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Dimensions of Thanatology n Philosophical and ethical n Religious n Psychological n Sociological n Anthropological

16. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Dimensions of Thanatology (continued) n Clinical n Political n Educational n Practical

17. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Death Anxiety and Fear of Death n Relationship with mortality n Death anxiety research n Terror management theory

18. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Terror management (Becker) n World is terrifying place n Keep the terror unconscious n Perceive threat as struggle against ultimate evil n Relieve fear by finding meaning in life

19. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Studying Death and Dying n Formal and informal (“teachable moments”) n Interdisciplinary n Objective facts n Subjective concerns

20. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Pioneers in Death Studies n Gorer, “Pornography of Death” (1955) n Feifel, APA symposium (1956) n Saunders, “Care of the Dying” (1959)

21. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Pioneers in Death Studies (continued) n Fulton, first university course (1963) n Parsons, “Death in American Society (1963) n Glasser and Strauss studies (1965 and 1968)

22. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Pioneers in Death Studies (continued) n Kübler-Ross, “On Death and Dying” (1969) n Hamline University, first conference (1970

23. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Factors Affecting Familiarity with Death n Life expectancy and mortality rates n Causes of death n Geographic mobility

24. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Factors Affecting Familiarity with Death (continued) n Displacement of death from the home n Life-extending technologies n Delegating to professionals

25. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Changing Causes of Death n Early 1900s: Acute infectious disease with sudden onset and death soon following (e.g., diphtheria)

26. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Changing Causes of Death n Today: Chronic illness typically following a slow progressive course lasting weeks, months, or years (e.g., cancer)

27. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Epidemiologic Transition n Historical shift in disease patterns n Redistribution of deaths from young to old n Reduced risk of dying at a young age from infectious diseases n Survival into older ages and death from degenerative diseases

28. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Death in a Cosmopolitan Society n Diversity n Pluralism n Cultural complexity n Global view n “Managed death”

29. Copyright © 2011 Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland Exploring Your Own Losses and Attitudes n Individual preferences n Cultural perspectives n Meaningful choices n Lossography