{"title":"Applying Terror Management Theory to Explain International Faculty Responses to COVID-19 Control Measures","authors":"Aliya Kuzhabekova","doi":"10.1177/10283153221150112","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The paper analyses an institutional approach and international faculty responses to implementation of social-distancing measures during COVID-19 on a residential campus of an international university in Kazakhstan. Terror-Management Theory is used to interpret the behavioral responses of the faculty. The theory predicts three types of international faculty responses to the conscious fear of death from COVID-19 – death avoidance, death acceptance, and death negation. These responses determine the extent of compliance with social distance-control measures. In addition three anxiety-buffering mechanisms proposed by the theory – commitment to particular worldviews, self-esteem enhancement and maintenance of social connections – serve as factors of variation in responses. Implications are drawn from the results about the relevance of the theory to the analysis of campus population responses to COVID-19-control measures on domestic and international campuses. Recommendations for university administrators at international universities are made about managing the three types of responses.","PeriodicalId":47802,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Studies in International Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.8000,"publicationDate":"2023-01-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Studies in International Education","FirstCategoryId":"95","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10283153221150112","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"教育学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The paper analyses an institutional approach and international faculty responses to implementation of social-distancing measures during COVID-19 on a residential campus of an international university in Kazakhstan. Terror-Management Theory is used to interpret the behavioral responses of the faculty. The theory predicts three types of international faculty responses to the conscious fear of death from COVID-19 – death avoidance, death acceptance, and death negation. These responses determine the extent of compliance with social distance-control measures. In addition three anxiety-buffering mechanisms proposed by the theory – commitment to particular worldviews, self-esteem enhancement and maintenance of social connections – serve as factors of variation in responses. Implications are drawn from the results about the relevance of the theory to the analysis of campus population responses to COVID-19-control measures on domestic and international campuses. Recommendations for university administrators at international universities are made about managing the three types of responses.
期刊介绍:
To broaden the discourse on the role of international cooperation and exchange in developing the human capacity to work in a global setting, the Journal of Studies in International Education provides a forum combining the research of scholars, models from practitioners in the public or private sector, and essays. The journal publishes research, essays, and reviews on international education. Articles place issues at the primary, secondary, higher education, professional exchange, and lifelong learning levels in a global context. Topics include: study abroad; curriculum reform; faculty development; and development assistance. Articles on related topics such as public policy and internationalization strategies also appear in the Journal.