What psychological theory explains the fascination with the undead by addressing fears of mortality?

The fascination with the undead, particularly through cultural representations of mummies, zombies, and vampires, is best explained by terror management theory. This psychological framework posits that humans have a deep-seated awareness of their own mortality, which can provoke existential anxiety. To cope with this anxiety, individuals may engage with symbols of death and the undead as a way to explore and confront their fears.

Terror management theory suggests that cultural narratives, including stories of the undead, provide a means to engage with the concept of death in a safe environment. By allowing individuals to confront their mortality through popular culture, these representations can help mitigate fear, offering a sense of meaning or continuity. Engaging with the idea of the undead can also reaffirm one’s values and beliefs, which provides a psychological buffer against the fear of death.

The other theories presented do not specifically address the coping mechanisms related to mortality fears in the way that terror management theory does. The uncanny valley hypothesis deals with emotional responses to robots or non-human entities that closely resemble humans, while social identity theory focuses on group identity and dynamics in social contexts. Cognitive dissonance theory involves the psychological discomfort arising from holding contradictory beliefs or behaviors and does not directly address the fear of mortality.