| dc.description.abstract | The Threat Index (Tl) is purported to tap the cognitive
dimensions of an individuals personal meaning of death.
Viewed by many researchers as the best validated measurement
of death orientation in the literature today, the test
yields an "integration" score, determining the extent that
an individual can anticipate death as a personal reality.
Recently, research on the TI has included an "actualization"
score (ACT) based on the discrepancy between an individual's
ratings of self and preferred self on a sample of personal
constructs. Although researchers have been investigating
the utility of such a measure, it has not been clearly
established that this is in fact measuring actualization.
Traditionally, the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) is
considered by many to be the most widely used and best
measure of actualization.
This study investigated the relationship of
actualization to an individual's death concerns.
Specifically, actualization as measured by the TI was
compared to actualization as measured by the POI.
Questionnaire packages were distributed to 176 introductory
Psychology students. Various analyses were conducted to
investigate the role of actualization in an individual's
concerns over death. The results of these analyses revealed
that the POI was a more sensitive measure of actualization
than the measure of ACT. | |
