Mortality salience leads to greater consumption of an ostensibly alcoholic beverage on Friday versus other weekdays

Abstract

Objectives We build on findings from terror management theory to examine how non‐conscious mortality concerns may lead individuals to adhere to cultural meanings yoked to discrete time periods, in this case influencing consumption of an ostensibly alcoholic beverage. Design The study took the form of a 2 (death vs. uncertainty reminder) × 3 (Monday vs. Wednesday vs. Friday) between‐subjects laboratory‐based quasi‐experimental design. Methods A total of 210 participants (age: M = 21.92 years, SD = 5.33; 103 males and 107 females) recruited from a UK university answered either an open‐ended question to prime mortality or uncertainty cognition on either a Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. As part of an ostensible taste test, they then consumed as much or as little of a purportedly alcoholic drink as they desired. Results Death reminders (vs. control topic) were found to result in more consumption of the beverage on a Friday, less consumption on a Monday, and no difference in consumption on a Wednesday. Conclusions Findings point to the flexible, time‐contingent nature of culture‐oriented defences against mortality concerns with potential implications for the efficacy of alcohol health warnings featuring mortality‐related stimuli.