Death Anxiety, Religiosity and Perception of Terrorism in Professions

Author: Moazzama Farooq

Supervisor: Dr. Aisha Sitwat

Degree: BS

Year: 2006-2010

University: Institute of Applied Psychology, Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between death anxiety and religiosity as consequences of terrorism among people with different professions. The social significance and the major aim of this research project was to ascertain if terrorist attacks induces fear and death anxiety in people with different professions belonging to lower and middle socio economic status and whether religion provide them coping against it. Purposive sampling was used to collect the sample. The inclusion criteria set by the researcher was that the participant should be between the ages of 25-60 and belonged to one of the selected professions (rickshaw driver, laborer, lawyer and banker) and must be Muslim. Tool used were Demographic Form, Lemming Fear of Death Anxiety Scale, Religious Activity Scale, Spiritual Support and Terrorism Catastrophizing Scale (TCS). t- test was applied on the data to see whether the participants from lower and middle socio economic status were significantly different from each other with respect to religiosity, spirituality, fear of terrorism and death anxiety. Results of t test showed that only religiosity was found to be different among lower and middle socio economic status. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used for the analysis of the results. Three of the hypotheses were supported. Results showed that religiosity was a negative predictor of death anxiety and fear of terrorism. Fear of terrorism was a positive predictor of death anxiety. The relationship of religiosity, spirituality and fear of terrorism was different with different scales of death anxiety in people belonging to lower and middle socio economic status.

Keywords: Death anxiety, Religiosity, Terrorism, Fear.

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Corresponding Address: Department of Applied Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. Email: chairperson@appsy.pu.edu.pk, Phone: 92-42-9231245