From Bugs to Sickness: Disgust Evaluation of Ancestral, Modern, and Pandemic Threats

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00023752%3A_____%2F25%3A43921663" target="_blank" >RIV/00023752:_____/25:43921663 - isvavai.cz</a>

Nalezeny alternativní kódy

RIV/00216208:11310/25:10507980

Výsledek na webu

<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40806-025-00442-6" target="_blank" >https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40806-025-00442-6</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40806-025-00442-6" target="_blank" >10.1007/s40806-025-00442-6</a>

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

From Bugs to Sickness: Disgust Evaluation of Ancestral, Modern, and Pandemic Threats

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Disgust is a fundamental emotion that evolved to protect organisms from pathogens and toxins, shaping behaviours critical for survival. This study explores how ancestral, modern, and pandemic-related threat represented by visual stimuli elicit disgust. Specifically, our goal was to validate the categorisation of disgusting stimuli, evaluate the intensity of emotional responses, and determine the contribution of individual differences. A sample of 262 participants from diverse educational and professional backgrounds ranked 60 visual stimuli, including ancestral (spoiled food, bugs), modern (toxic substances, radioactivity), and pandemic-related (sneezing, masks, and hospitals) categories, on perceived disgust (pictures of leaves were used as controls). They also completed assessments of pathogen, core, and moral disgust, along with pandemic-related behaviours and stress. Results revealed distinct clusters of disgust stimuli, with spoiled food evoking the strongest repulsion, while modern threats, such as pollution and radioactivity, elicited weaker disgust. Pandemic-related stimuli formed a unique, but heterogeneous category, with visible infection cues (e.g. sneezing) triggering stronger disgust than abstract cues like masks or hospital environments. The findings highlight the evolutionary roots of disgust and its adaptation to modern contexts. They underscore the need to consider cultural, individual, and situational factors in public health strategies and interventions targeting hygiene and disease prevention behaviours.

Název v anglickém jazyce

From Bugs to Sickness: Disgust Evaluation of Ancestral, Modern, and Pandemic Threats

Popis výsledku anglicky

Disgust is a fundamental emotion that evolved to protect organisms from pathogens and toxins, shaping behaviours critical for survival. This study explores how ancestral, modern, and pandemic-related threat represented by visual stimuli elicit disgust. Specifically, our goal was to validate the categorisation of disgusting stimuli, evaluate the intensity of emotional responses, and determine the contribution of individual differences. A sample of 262 participants from diverse educational and professional backgrounds ranked 60 visual stimuli, including ancestral (spoiled food, bugs), modern (toxic substances, radioactivity), and pandemic-related (sneezing, masks, and hospitals) categories, on perceived disgust (pictures of leaves were used as controls). They also completed assessments of pathogen, core, and moral disgust, along with pandemic-related behaviours and stress. Results revealed distinct clusters of disgust stimuli, with spoiled food evoking the strongest repulsion, while modern threats, such as pollution and radioactivity, elicited weaker disgust. Pandemic-related stimuli formed a unique, but heterogeneous category, with visible infection cues (e.g. sneezing) triggering stronger disgust than abstract cues like masks or hospital environments. The findings highlight the evolutionary roots of disgust and its adaptation to modern contexts. They underscore the need to consider cultural, individual, and situational factors in public health strategies and interventions targeting hygiene and disease prevention behaviours.

Druh

J_imp - Článek v periodiku v databázi Web of Science

CEP obor

—

OECD FORD obor

50101 - Psychology (including human - machine relations)

Projekt

<a href="/cs/project/GA22-13381S" target="_blank" >GA22-13381S: Lidské reakce na ancestrální a moderní hrozby v porovnání s nákazou přenosnou vzduchem</a><br>

Návaznosti

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Rok uplatnění

2025

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Evolutionary Psychological Science

ISSN

2198-9885

e-ISSN

2198-9885

Svazek periodika

11

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

3

Stát vydavatele periodika

DE - Spolková republika Německo

Počet stran výsledku

18

Strana od-do

273-290

Kód UT WoS článku

001562510600001

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-105015586884