All four experiments indicated that greater TS led to increased system justification. The first took place in Germany during the week following the March 2004 terrorist attacks on four passenger trains in Madrid. Participants were 78 German citizens who were recruited from waiting areas at a large German airport 2 to 4 days following the attacks. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two versions of a questionnaire: a control condition and TS condition. Results of t-test analyses revealed that participants in the TS condition showed higher system justification tendencies. The second experiment referenced current events to increase the plausibility of the TS manipulation. All data were collected in September 2004. Participants were 155 persons recruited from public trains and waiting areas for public trains throughout Germany. Participants were randomly assigned to read one of four versions of a questionnaire: subtle versus deep control conditions and subtle versus deep TS conditions. ANOVA analyses revealed that participants in the two TS conditions exhibited more system justification than the control participants. In experiment three, the same experimental and control conditions from study two were used, but the experiment took place in a laboratory with 72 undergraduate students tested in either October or November 2004. Results from this study indicated significantly more system justifications from the students in the deep TS group than students in the subtle TS condition. One-way ANOVA across all four test conditions also revealed no significant differences between the four groups in terms of death-related thoughts. The fourth experiment involved interviewing 55 train passengers following a shocking news story in Europe regarding a terrorist plot. Participants were randomly assigned to two versions of the questionnaire containing a TS condition and a control condition. Results of ANOVA analysis revealed higher systems justification from the TS condition. Tables, figure, references, appendix