Death is a universal inevitability, but human responses are different. How people deal with death has always been closely studied by anthropologists. Death-related beliefs and practices provide a window for viewing a society’s social organization, cultural values, and worldviews. With a long-term perspective, this window can also allow us to see mechanisms of culture change
Death is considered a taboo topic in most cultures. The lack of willingness to talk about the issue reflects discomfort with the subject and attempts to deny the reality of death. Instead of talking openly about death, most people use euphemisms and metaphors to maintain distance from it. This communicative avoidance then defines death as
The controversy surrounding the juvenile death penalty is not new; the courts have struggled with the issue for decades. Meanwhile, psychologists have presented research results on both the capabilities of juveniles and the public’s support for the juvenile death penalty. Although the Supreme Court has not consistently relied on psychological findings, those findings are relevant
Death qualification is a unique form of jury selection that is used only in capital cases. Potential jurors are screened beforehand on the basis of their attitudes toward death penalty, and persons holding “disqualifying” attitudes or beliefs about capital punishment are dismissed from further participation. In the late 1960s, the U.S. Supreme Court established the
Death and bereavement, fundamental facets of human existence, are subjects of profound significance within the realm of psychology. This article delves into the theoretical frameworks that underpin our understanding of grief, including the Kübler-Ross Model, Dual Process Model, and Attachment Theory. It explores the intricate landscape of psychological reactions to loss, differentiating between normal and
Most countries have abolished the death penalty. The United States retains the death penalty, although it has attempted to make executions more humane. The Supreme Court has restricted use of the death penalty based on the type of crime and the characteristics of the criminal. Psychologists and other social scientists have conducted research on issues such
Religion has the ability to affect death penalty trials in numerous ways. The most studied include the effects of jurors’ religiosity and religious appeals used by lawyers during trial. Religion also affects judges’ decisions. Although the study of how religion affects legal decision making is still in its infancy, religion has the potential to affect
The issue of racial bias in the death penalty has long been a significant concern in the system of capital punishment. Many studies across the United States have found the race of the defendant (combined with the race of the victim) to be a salient predictor of juror decision making in capital cases, with Black
The subjects of “children” and “death” seem somehow contradictory and yet it is clear, based on children’s drawings and writings, as well as a child’s adulthood memories, that the two subjects are often related. Consider the history of certain chants and games: “Peekaboo” is said to be derived from an old English word meaning “dead”
“Death with dignity” has long been a slogan of the “right to die” movement. Proponents of legalizing physician-assisted suicide and/or voluntary active euthanasia (in which mentally competent patients with terminal illnesses can request to end their lives and suffering) adopted this rallying cry as a means of speaking to the concern of the general public
Advances in medicine, surgery, and public health have gradually increased the average life expectancy of the population. At the same time, patients with chronic diseases experience increased survival periods in relatively good health, leading to advanced single or only few organ failures, making them adequate candidates for organ replacement via transplantation. The accumulated knowledge and