1. Cultural membership shapes how we perceive and respond to death.
2. Vocal and physical expressions of emotion play an important role in end-of-life rituals and ceremonies, which includes the work of professional mourners.
3. There is much historical, cross-cultural, and religious variation in death-related rituals, including funerals.

Here is a short key summary of the psychological theories related to death rituals, grief, and mourning:

1. Continuing Bonds Theory: This theory suggests that even after death, the bereaved maintain a relationship with the deceased through memories, symbolic acts, and rituals, which helps provide comfort and emotional support.
2. Meaning-Making Model: According to this model, individuals cope with loss by finding meaning in the death and integrating it into their broader life narrative. Rituals and symbolic acts help individuals make sense of the loss and contribute to personal growth.
3. Dual Process Model: This model explains that grieving individuals oscillate between two types of coping: loss-oriented (focused on the emotional aspects of loss) and restoration-oriented (focused on adjusting to life without the deceased). Both forms are necessary for adaptive coping.
4. Attachment Theory: This theory posits that the death of an attachment figure triggers an intense emotional response. Grief rituals provide a socially accepted way to address this separation and help the bereaved adjust to the loss.
5. Disenfranchised Grief: This concept refers to grief that is not socially acknowledged or validated, such as grief for a relationship that is not publicly recognized. Death rituals help legitimize such grief and provide a communal space for its expression.