Theoretical Effects of Mortality Fear on Environmental Regulatory Non-Compliance

Abstract

Empirical studies from the field of existential psychology point to the possibility that the fear of death could be contributing to a lack of compliance with environmental regulations. A key theory within the field of experimental existential psychology, Terror Management Theory, has shown that reminders of mortality affect a broad range of behaviours; in many cases including activities that have little or no logical connection to death. Studies in this area have also shown that increased awareness of death can be triggered by a range of events, again, some seemingly unrelated to mortality. Terror Management Theory has been applied to other non-compliance behaviours, and its potential links with environmental regulatory noncompliance warrant investigation. This paper sets out a number of pathways by which the fear of death may be a factor in primary producer environmental regulatory non-compliance, together with examples of empirical studies which support the validity of each component of these paths.