Disgust and Hygeine Flashcards
What is disgust?
It is a universal human emotions that has a characteristic facial expression. The response to disust is salivation, tongue protrusion and we let it drop out our mouths. We have lowered blood pressure, sweating, nausea and sometimes vomiting.
What stimulates disgust?
Bodily excretions, detached body parts, decayed or spoiled foods, creatures and certain categories of people.
What is the evolutionary reason for disgust?
Disgust protects us from microbiological contamination. Microbes and parasites have always been a major seelctive pressure on humans as it reduces reproductive success.
What is the nature of contamination?
Once contaminated we behave as if it will always be contaminated. In hunter gatherer times you would need to discard it and not touch it or anybody else that touched it.
What is cultural disgust?
Some disgust is innate but some is also learned, many food preferences are learned in the first 3 years.
What did Curt and Biran (2001) find that elicited disgust?
Bodily excretions and body parts, decay and spoiled food, particular living creatures, certain categories of other people and violations of morality or social norms.
What is an explanation of disgust?
Microbes and parasites provide a strong selective force driving the evolution of defences. Each route of entry has developed defences to protect against these. Disgust is an excellent trigger for avoidance and can help protect against these things.
