Registered Replication Report: Study 3 From Trafimow and Hughes (2012)

Sean C. Rife; Quinn Lambert; Robert Calin-Jageman; Matus Adamkovic; Gabriel Banik; Itxaso Barberia; Jennifer Beaudry; Hanna Bernauer; Dustin Calvillo; William J. Chopik; Louise David; Ismay de Beijer; Thomas Rhys Evans; Andree Hartanto; Pavol Kacmar; Nicole Legate; Marcel Martoncik; Karlijn Massar; Simon Mccabe; David Moreau; Sevval Osmanoglu; Asil Ali Ozdogru; Miriam Panning; Maximilian Primbs; John Protzko; Javier Rodriguez-Ferreiro; Jan P. Roeer; Ivan Ropovik; Simon Schindler; Willem Sleegers; Gill ten Hoor; Ulrich S. Tran; Hein van Schie; Martin Voracek; Brady Wiggins

doi:10.1177/25152459251328334

Registered Replication Report: Study 3 From Trafimow and Hughes (2012)

Sean C. Rife^*, Quinn Lambert, Robert Calin-Jageman, Matus Adamkovic, Gabriel Banik, Itxaso Barberia, Jennifer Beaudry, Hanna Bernauer, Dustin Calvillo, William J. Chopik, Louise David, Ismay de Beijer, Thomas Rhys Evans, Andree Hartanto, Pavol Kacmar, Nicole Legate, Marcel Martoncik, Karlijn Massar, Simon Mccabe, David MoreauSevval Osmanoglu, Asil Ali Ozdogru, Miriam Panning, Maximilian Primbs, John Protzko, Javier Rodriguez-Ferreiro, Jan P. Roeer, Ivan Ropovik, Simon Schindler, Willem Sleegers, Gill ten Hoor, Ulrich S. Tran, Hein van Schie, Martin Voracek, Brady Wiggins

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Terror-management theory (TMT) proposes that when people are made aware of their own death, they are more likely to endorse cultural values. TMT is a staple of social psychology, featured prominently in textbooks and the subject of much research. The implications associated with TMT are significant because its advocates claim it can partially explain cultural conflicts, intergroup antagonisms, and even war. However, considerable ambiguity regarding effect size exists, and no preregistered replication of death-thought-accessibility findings exists. Moreover, there is debate regarding the role of time delay between the manipulation of mortality salience and assessment of key measures. We present results from 22 labs in 11 countries (total N = 3,447) attempting to replicate and extend an existing study of TMT, Study 3 from Trafimow and Hughes, and the role of time-delay effects. We successfully replicate Trafimow and Hughes and demonstrate that it is possible to prime death-related thoughts and that priming is more effective when there is no delay between the priming and outcome measure. Implications for future research and TMT are discussed.

Original language	English
Article number	25152459251328334
Number of pages	20
Journal	Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science
Volume	8
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/25152459251328334
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 22 Apr 2025

Keywords

terror-management theory
replication
preregistration
death-thought accessibility
open data
open materials
preregistered
TERROR-MANAGEMENT THEORY
MORTALITY SALIENCE DECREASES
DEATH-THOUGHT ACCESSIBILITY
AWARENESS
IMPACT

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Rife, S. C., Lambert, Q., Calin-Jageman, R., Adamkovic, M., Banik, G., Barberia, I., Beaudry, J., Bernauer, H., Calvillo, D., Chopik, W. J., David, L., de Beijer, I., Evans, T. R., Hartanto, A., Kacmar, P., Legate, N., Martoncik, M., Massar, K., Mccabe, S., ... Wiggins, B. (2025). Registered Replication Report: Study 3 From Trafimow and Hughes (2012). Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 8(2), Article 25152459251328334. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/25152459251328334

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title = "Registered Replication Report: Study 3 From Trafimow and Hughes (2012)",

abstract = "Terror-management theory (TMT) proposes that when people are made aware of their own death, they are more likely to endorse cultural values. TMT is a staple of social psychology, featured prominently in textbooks and the subject of much research. The implications associated with TMT are significant because its advocates claim it can partially explain cultural conflicts, intergroup antagonisms, and even war. However, considerable ambiguity regarding effect size exists, and no preregistered replication of death-thought-accessibility findings exists. Moreover, there is debate regarding the role of time delay between the manipulation of mortality salience and assessment of key measures. We present results from 22 labs in 11 countries (total N = 3,447) attempting to replicate and extend an existing study of TMT, Study 3 from Trafimow and Hughes, and the role of time-delay effects. We successfully replicate Trafimow and Hughes and demonstrate that it is possible to prime death-related thoughts and that priming is more effective when there is no delay between the priming and outcome measure. Implications for future research and TMT are discussed.",

keywords = "terror-management theory, replication, preregistration, death-thought accessibility, open data, open materials, preregistered, TERROR-MANAGEMENT THEORY, MORTALITY SALIENCE DECREASES, DEATH-THOUGHT ACCESSIBILITY, AWARENESS, IMPACT",

author = "Rife, \{Sean C.\} and Quinn Lambert and Robert Calin-Jageman and Matus Adamkovic and Gabriel Banik and Itxaso Barberia and Jennifer Beaudry and Hanna Bernauer and Dustin Calvillo and Chopik, \{William J.\} and Louise David and \{de Beijer\}, Ismay and Evans, \{Thomas Rhys\} and Andree Hartanto and Pavol Kacmar and Nicole Legate and Marcel Martoncik and Karlijn Massar and Simon Mccabe and David Moreau and Sevval Osmanoglu and Ozdogru, \{Asil Ali\} and Miriam Panning and Maximilian Primbs and John Protzko and Javier Rodriguez-Ferreiro and Roeer, \{Jan P.\} and Ivan Ropovik and Simon Schindler and Willem Sleegers and \{ten Hoor\}, Gill and Tran, \{Ulrich S.\} and \{van Schie\}, Hein and Martin Voracek and Brady Wiggins",

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language = "English",

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Rife, SC, Lambert, Q, Calin-Jageman, R, Adamkovic, M, Banik, G, Barberia, I, Beaudry, J, Bernauer, H, Calvillo, D, Chopik, WJ, David, L, de Beijer, I, Evans, TR, Hartanto, A, Kacmar, P, Legate, N, Martoncik, M, Massar, K, Mccabe, S, Moreau, D, Osmanoglu, S, Ozdogru, AA, Panning, M, Primbs, M, Protzko, J, Rodriguez-Ferreiro, J, Roeer, JP, Ropovik, I, Schindler, S, Sleegers, W, ten Hoor, G, Tran, US, van Schie, H, Voracek, M & Wiggins, B 2025, 'Registered Replication Report: Study 3 From Trafimow and Hughes (2012)', Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, vol. 8, no. 2, 25152459251328334. https://doi.org/10.1177/25152459251328334

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T2 - Study 3 From Trafimow and Hughes (2012)

AU - Rife, Sean C.

AU - Lambert, Quinn

AU - Calin-Jageman, Robert

AU - Adamkovic, Matus

AU - Banik, Gabriel

AU - Barberia, Itxaso

AU - Beaudry, Jennifer

AU - Bernauer, Hanna

AU - Calvillo, Dustin

AU - Chopik, William J.

AU - David, Louise

AU - de Beijer, Ismay

AU - Evans, Thomas Rhys

AU - Hartanto, Andree

AU - Kacmar, Pavol

AU - Legate, Nicole

AU - Martoncik, Marcel

AU - Massar, Karlijn

AU - Mccabe, Simon

AU - Moreau, David

AU - Osmanoglu, Sevval

AU - Ozdogru, Asil Ali

AU - Panning, Miriam

AU - Primbs, Maximilian

AU - Protzko, John

AU - Rodriguez-Ferreiro, Javier

AU - Roeer, Jan P.

AU - Ropovik, Ivan

AU - Schindler, Simon

AU - Sleegers, Willem

AU - ten Hoor, Gill

AU - Tran, Ulrich S.

AU - van Schie, Hein

AU - Voracek, Martin

AU - Wiggins, Brady

PY - 2025/4/22

Y1 - 2025/4/22

N2 - Terror-management theory (TMT) proposes that when people are made aware of their own death, they are more likely to endorse cultural values. TMT is a staple of social psychology, featured prominently in textbooks and the subject of much research. The implications associated with TMT are significant because its advocates claim it can partially explain cultural conflicts, intergroup antagonisms, and even war. However, considerable ambiguity regarding effect size exists, and no preregistered replication of death-thought-accessibility findings exists. Moreover, there is debate regarding the role of time delay between the manipulation of mortality salience and assessment of key measures. We present results from 22 labs in 11 countries (total N = 3,447) attempting to replicate and extend an existing study of TMT, Study 3 from Trafimow and Hughes, and the role of time-delay effects. We successfully replicate Trafimow and Hughes and demonstrate that it is possible to prime death-related thoughts and that priming is more effective when there is no delay between the priming and outcome measure. Implications for future research and TMT are discussed.

AB - Terror-management theory (TMT) proposes that when people are made aware of their own death, they are more likely to endorse cultural values. TMT is a staple of social psychology, featured prominently in textbooks and the subject of much research. The implications associated with TMT are significant because its advocates claim it can partially explain cultural conflicts, intergroup antagonisms, and even war. However, considerable ambiguity regarding effect size exists, and no preregistered replication of death-thought-accessibility findings exists. Moreover, there is debate regarding the role of time delay between the manipulation of mortality salience and assessment of key measures. We present results from 22 labs in 11 countries (total N = 3,447) attempting to replicate and extend an existing study of TMT, Study 3 from Trafimow and Hughes, and the role of time-delay effects. We successfully replicate Trafimow and Hughes and demonstrate that it is possible to prime death-related thoughts and that priming is more effective when there is no delay between the priming and outcome measure. Implications for future research and TMT are discussed.

KW - terror-management theory

KW - replication

KW - preregistration

KW - death-thought accessibility

KW - open data

KW - open materials

KW - preregistered

KW - TERROR-MANAGEMENT THEORY

KW - MORTALITY SALIENCE DECREASES

KW - DEATH-THOUGHT ACCESSIBILITY

KW - AWARENESS

KW - IMPACT

U2 - 10.1177/25152459251328334

DO - 10.1177/25152459251328334

M3 - Article

SN - 2515-2459

VL - 8

JO - Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science

JF - Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science

IS - 2

M1 - 25152459251328334

ER -

Registered Replication Report: Study 3 From Trafimow and Hughes (2012)

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Keywords

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