Authenticity as a pathway to neutral acceptance of death.

Neutral acceptance, the view that death is an integral part of life, is distinct from the mere absence of death anxiety, yet its psychological antecedents remain poorly understood. Drawing on an existential perspective, we propose that authenticity fosters neutral acceptance by alleviating existential guilt over a life not fully lived. Across three studies, we found converging evidence for this proposition. Study 1 (N = 489) documented a cross-sectional association between authenticity and neutral acceptance, controlling for demographic covariates. Using a two-wave longitudinal design, Study 2 (N = 252) showed that authenticity prospectively predicted neutral acceptance, but not vice versa. Study 3 (N = 296) provided experimental evidence consistent with a positive indirect effect of an authenticity induction on neutral acceptance through state authenticity. Ultimately, a life fully owned may be easier to relinquish with neutrality.