Salem Witch Trials Self Preservation Analysis

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The Psychology of Self-Preservation and Its Relation to the Salem Witch Trials An analysis of the Salem Witch Trials reveals several commonalities shared between those who were accused and confessed to the malevolent crimes of witchcraft; one of which was the fear of death leading to self-preservation. Self-Preservation is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as the “natural or instinctive tendency to act so as to preserve one's own existence” (2016). This instinct remains innate inside a person until brought about by extreme angst or stressful situations, including life-or-death circumstances. However, in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692, over 200 men, women, and children (and even some animals) were accused of some form of witchcraft - with some confessing to be guilty of the demonic actions, while the nineteen people who didn’t were hanged (Blumberg, 2007). These nineteen hangings sparked an internal battle of truth or dare within every accused heart. Tell the truth and hold fast to your values and reputation even though it would result in death, or dare to confess and serve a temporary sentence in jail even though it meant sacrificing …show more content…
Delving into the study of self-preservation or any mental capability will always be difficult to understand because of the fact that it is a matter of the human psyche and is ever-changing, depending on numerous factors of people's’ age, gender, and brain chemistry. However, several researchers and psychologists have aspired to explain self-preservation in terms of egotistical or survival motives and phobias, including the fear of death. These factors are presented within theories, such as the Terror Management Theory and the Social Self-preservation Theory. After analysing the role of self-preservation during the events of the Salem Witch
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