Mortality salience increases death-thought accessibility and worldview defense among high Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP) individuals

The Broad Autism Phenotype (BAP) is an individual difference whereby persons exhibit mild characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including being socially aloof and having a rigid personality. Given that individuals high in BAP rigidity have difficulty adjusting to change, the present research examined whether rigid persons report greater concerns about death and adhere to their cultural beliefs following mortality salience (MS). In Study 1, we found that BAP rigidity was positively associated with greater mortality-related concerns. In Study 2, high rigid individuals evidenced increased death-thought accessibility following MS. Finally, Study 3 found that MS led to heightened worldview defense for individuals high in rigidity, while decreasing defensiveness for those low in rigidity. These results provide evidence for the moderating role of individual differences in terror management effects. Specifically, ASD characteristics in young adults, particularly in the area of rigidity, contribute to heightened death concerns and greater defensiveness.