Leaving well enough: A dual-process model of final body disposal preferences

Decisions regarding a body's postmortem fate can evoke strong emotions and opinions, but preference variations among the future dead and their survivors remain poorly understood. Based on an integrative review of pertinent literature, we propose a dual-process Final Body Disposal (FBD) model wherein choices are shaped by: (1) analytic/rational inputs such as knowledge of biological decay processes and FBD options, prosocial/ecological considerations, and legal, familial, or religious proscriptions; and (2) intuitive/experiential inputs such as generalized negative affect, implicit body/mind assumptions (like whether the deceased can "feel" what happens to the body), and motivation to preserve individual identity. We present analyses based on open-access data from a multinational survey that support the latter: For example, postmortem concerns about being "gone" or forgotten predicted greater interest in burial and plastination (high identity preservation) versus body donation and cremation/scattering (low identity preservation). Our dual-process model may help people sort through personal, practical, and policy considerations when faced with the universal FBD question.