fei75766_ch11_345-376.indd 374  02/06/20 12:38 PM
Part III    Humanistic/Existential Theories374
•Nonbeing, ornothingness, isanawareness ofthepossibility ofone’s not
being, through death orlossofawareness.
•People experience anxiety when theyareaware ofthepossibility oftheir
nonbeing aswellaswhen theyareaware thattheyarefreetochoose.
•Normal anxiety isexperienced byeveryone andisproportionate tothethreat.
•Neurotic anxiety isdisproportionate tothethreat, involves repression, andis
handled inaself-defeating manner.
•People experience guiltasaresult oftheir(1)separation fromthenatural world, 
(2)inability tojudge theneeds ofothers, and(3)denial oftheirownpotentials.
•Intentionality istheunderlying structure thatgives meaning toexperience 
andallows people tomake decisions about thefuture.
•Lovemeans taking delight inthepresence oftheother person andaffirming 
thatperson’s value asmuch asone’s own.
•Sex, abasic form oflove,isabiological function thatseeks satisfaction 
through therelease ofsexual tension.
•Eros, ahigher form oflove,seeks anenduring union withaloved one.
•Philia istheformoflovethatseeks anonsexual friendship withanother person.
•Agape, thehighest form oflove,isaltruistic andseeks nothing from the
other person.
•Freedom isgained through confrontation withone’s destiny andthrough an
understanding thatdeath ornonbeing isapossibility atanymoment.
•Existential freedom isfreedom ofaction, freedom tomove about, topursue 
tangible goals.
•Essential freedom isfreedom ofbeing, freedom tothink, toplan, tohope.
•Cultural myths arebelief systems, bothconscious andunconscious, that
provide explanations forpersonal andsocial problems.
References
Allport, G.W.(1968). The person in psychology. 
Boston: Beacon Press.
Bilmes, M.(1978). Rollo May. InR.S.Valle &
M.King (Eds.), Existential-phenomenological 
alternatives for psychology (pp.290–294). New
York: Oxford University Press.
Cox,C.R.,&Arndt, J.(2012). Howsweet itisto
beloved byyou:Theroleofperceived regard in
theterror management ofclose relationships. 
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 
102,616–632.
Cox,C.R.,Arndt, J.,Pyszczynski, T.,Greenberg, 
J.,Abdollahi, A.,&Solomon, S.(2008). Terror 
management andadults’ attachment totheir
parents: Thesafehaven remains. Journal of 
Personality and Social Psychology, 94, 696–717.Florian, V.,Mikulincer, M.,&Hirschberger, G.
(2002). Theanxiety-buffering function of
close relationships: Evidence thatrelationship 
commitment actsasaterror management 
mechanism. Journal of Personality and Social 
Psychology, 82, 527–542.
Fredrickson, B.,&Roberts, T.(1997). 
Objectification theory: Towards understanding 
women’s livedexperiences andmental health 
risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly ,21,
173–206.
Gailliot, M.T.,Stillman, T.F.,Schmeichel, B.J.,
Maner, J.K.,&Plant, E.A.(2008). Mortality 
salience increases adherence tosalient norms 
andvalues. Personality and Social Psychology 
Bulletin, 34, 993–1003.Final PDF to printer