Date of Award
12-1978
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts
First Advisor
Virginia H. Beard
Second Advisor
Polly Eisendrath
Abstract
This exploratory study by Barbara L. Sanders investigates the complex relationships between age, personal experiences with death, attitudes toward mortality, and Christian religious beliefs. Motivated by personal and professional encounters with individuals across the lifespan, the author seeks to understand how these variables interrelate and challenge commonly held assumptions—such as the belief that Christians are more accepting of death or that children fear death more due to inexperience.
The research was conducted through a questionnaire distributed among 60 participants across three distinct age groups: adolescents (10–15), adults in their early middle years (36–49), and older adults (65+). The questionnaire assessed participants' religious self-identification, their direct experiences with death, and their attitudes toward it. Statistical analyses, including chi-square correlations, were employed to examine potential relationships between these factors.
Findings indicate that while age significantly influences attitudes toward death—with older adults displaying more positive attitudes—neither religious self-description nor prior death experience showed a statistically significant correlation with attitudes toward mortality. Notably, younger participants expressed more fear of death despite higher religious identification. Conversely, older adults, though slightly less fervent in religious self-description, tended to view death with greater acceptance.
The study also reviews relevant literature on death and dying, including psychological, cultural, and theological dimensions. It draws heavily on works by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, Phillippe Ariès, and Charles Doss to contextualize historical and contemporary attitudes toward death within Western Christian thought.
Ultimately, Sanders’ research contributes to the broader discourse on death education and the role of religion in shaping human responses to mortality. It suggests that age-related development may play a more decisive role than personal religious commitment or death experience in forming death attitudes.
Recommended Citation
Sanders, Barbara L., "An Exploratory Examination of Age, Attitudes Toward Death, Experience with Death, and the Christian Religion" (1978). Theses. 1649.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/theses/1649
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