Print

Weibust, Kristin S.

Psychology

PhD

Research finds that death thoughts that occur in response to health threats affect subsequent health behavior. Two studies examined the effects of mortality salience on risky and preventative behaviors related to HIV infection. In Study 1, writing about death (compared to an aversive control topic) led males and participants who perceived relatively risky norms for sex to indicate less risky sexual behavior intentions when intentions were measured following a delay, but not when intentions were measured immediately after the mortality salience manipulation. In Study 2, mortality salience increased the number of participants who chose to take an HN test offered at the end of the study when they were made to feel vulnerable to HIV, and mortality salience decreased the number of participants who took the HIV test when they were not made to feel vulnerable to HIV infection. Together, these studies suggest that HIV prevention programs must carefully consider the association between HIV and death and people's perceived vulnerability to HIV.