The Influence of Rational Suicide on Nonrational Suicide: a Sociological Analysis of Attitudes (IN: Contemporary Perspectives on Rational Suicide, edited by J L Werth, Jr.)

This chapter is restricted to an analysis of attitudes on rational suicide & how they relate to attitudes on the cultural acceptability of suicide in general. It tests the hypothesis that persons with a higher approval of rational suicide tend to have a more generalized approval of suicide – nonrational suicide – as well. Data from the 1990-1993 World Values Survey were used. Complete data for 40,109 persons in 35 nations was available. Generally, results showed the greater the support for rational suicide, the greater the support for suicide in general. Cultural support of rational suicide may inadvertently increase actual suicidal behaviour by giving more legitimacy to the phenomenon of suicidal behaviour.