American Attitudes Towards Death and Dying.ppt

American Attitudes Towards Death and Dying Dusana Rybarova Psyc 456 July 2007 From Visible to Invisible Death Visible death Death recognized and orchestrated by the dying person, preparing for dying Manual for a dying person ‘Ars moriendi’ to achieve peaceful and graceful death (dying and funeral as public rituals with personal assistance of close ones, forgiveness, meditation) Filtered death in Early America Between 1600 and 1830 Funeral processions, awareness of death Postmortem photography publically displayed Increased value in family relationship shifted the initiatives surrounding death from the dying person to the family Shift from personal psychological event to collective sociocultural event From Visible to Invisible Death Invisible Death Current funeral practices adopted by European Americans Feelings and thoughts are kept private health and funeral institutions dominate the procedures surrounding death Thanatology Interdisciplinary study of death and dying Established in the wake of WW II Has roots in psychology, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, theology, biology, medicine, social work, ethics, law and other disciplines John D. Morgan Canadian philosopher and thanatologist ‘Our North American death system, … is the result of our limited exposure, which is a result of our high life expectancy, … but in many ways, our life is no different from that of the peasant in the 14th century. The peasant missed a fully human life because he or she was inundated with death. We do not live fully because we reject death. (1995:40-42) Factors influencing invisible death Industrialization Increased living standards food production, better housing, expanding public education, improving water and sewage facilities, new communication and transportation means Modern medicine New medical technologies, immunization programs, sterile treatment facilities, hospitals % deaths in US. Hospitals (1900 – 20%, 1994 – 80%) Life expectancy and the family After WWII life