Evidence of an Indirect Effect of Generativity on Fear of Death Through Ego-Integrity Considering Social Desirability.

This article investigates the indirect effect of generativity—the concern for and commitment to future generations—on fear of death through ego-integrity, defined as a positive and accepting life review, across adulthood. Two studies with German adult samples (N = 260 and N = 133) tested this mediation model while addressing social desirability bias: Study 1 statistically controlled for social desirability in self-report measures, and Study 2 employed the Implicit Association Test (IAT) as an indirect, reaction time-based measure of fear of death. Both studies confirmed that generativity relates to reduced fear of death indirectly via ego-integrity, extending previous findings beyond older adults and demonstrating robustness against social desirability effects. These results highlight the role of meaning-making processes in shaping death-related attitudes and suggest implications for interventions incorporating generative elements.