Disgust
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| - | [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{{PAGENAMEE}}] [Apr 2007] | + | '''Disgust''' is an [[emotion]] that is typically associated with things that are perceived as [[unclean]], [[inedible]], or [[infectious]]. In ''[[The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals]]'', [[Charles Darwin]] wrote that disgust refers to something revolting. Primarily in relation |
| + | to the sense of taste, as actually perceived or vividly imagined; and secondarily to anything which causes a similar feeling, through the sense of smell, touch, and even of eyesight. Disgust is one of the basic emotions of [[Robert Plutchik]]'s theory of emotions. | ||
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| + | Disgust may be further subdivided into physical disgust, associated with physical or metaphorical [[unclean]]ness, and [[morality|moral]] disgust, a similar feeling related to courses of action. | ||
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| + | ==Purity and pollution== | ||
| + | Disgust is thought to have its origins in (and in some cases to be identical to) [[instinct]]ive reactions that evolved as part of natural selection for behavior which tended to prevent food poisoning, or exposure to danger or infection. Disgust is frequently associated with waste products such as [[feces]] or [[urine]], secretions from the human body (such as mucus), and with [[decomposition|decomposing]] flesh, and [[insect]]s associated with it. | ||
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| + | As in other human instinctual drives, disgust has an instinctual and a [[social construction|socially constructed]] aspect. Religious concepts of '''purity and pollution''' underlie various systems of [[taboo food and drink]], such as the [[Judaism|Jewish]] rules of ''[[kashrut]]'' and the [[Islam]]ic distinction between ''[[halal]]'' and ''[[haraam|haram]]'' foods. [[Mary Douglas]]'s 1966 book ''Purity and Danger'' attempted to ascribe these rules not to health or ecological reasons as some had hypothesized before, but rather to attempts to maintain symbolic boundaries: the forbidden and unkosher animals were not eaten because their place in the natural order was felt to be ambiguous, "neither fish nor fowl". Believers in food taboos feel that they may be contaminated by exposure to forbidden foods, regardless of their consumption by others or standards of preparation, and can manifest all of the physical and emotional symptoms of disgust at their presence. | ||
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| + | ==Disgust and shame== | ||
| + | [[Martha Nussbaum]], a leading [[United States|America]]n philosopher, wrote a book published in 2004 entitled ''Hiding From Humanity: Disgust, Shame, and the Law'' which examines the relationship of disgust and [[shame]] to a society's laws. | ||
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| + | A recent study found that [[women]] and [[child]]ren were more sensitive to disgust than men. Researchers attempted to explain this finding in [[evolution]]ary terms. While some find wisdom in adhering to one's feelings of disgust, some scientists have asserted that "reactions of disgust are often built upon prejudices that should be challenged and rebutted." | ||
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| + | ==Perception of disgust== | ||
| + | ===Huntington's disease=== | ||
| + | Many patients suffering from [[Huntington's disease]], a genetically transmitted progressive neurodegenerative disease, are unable to recognize expressions of disgust in others and also don't show reactions of disgust to foul odors or tastes.<ref>Mitchell IJ, Heims H, Neville EA, Rickards H. [http://www.neuro.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/17/1/119 Huntington's disease patients show impaired perception of disgust in the gustatory and olfactory modalities.] ''Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience'', 17:119-121, February 2005. PMID 15746492</ref> The inability to recognize disgust in others appears in carriers of the Huntington gene already before the disease has broken out.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{{PAGENAMEE}}] [Apr 2007] | ||
| [[Category:Non-mainstream]] | [[Category:Non-mainstream]] | ||
Revision as of 21:34, 4 June 2007
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Disgust is an emotion that is typically associated with things that are perceived as unclean, inedible, or infectious. In The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, Charles Darwin wrote that disgust refers to something revolting. Primarily in relation to the sense of taste, as actually perceived or vividly imagined; and secondarily to anything which causes a similar feeling, through the sense of smell, touch, and even of eyesight. Disgust is one of the basic emotions of Robert Plutchik's theory of emotions.
Disgust may be further subdivided into physical disgust, associated with physical or metaphorical uncleanness, and moral disgust, a similar feeling related to courses of action.
Contents |
Purity and pollution
Disgust is thought to have its origins in (and in some cases to be identical to) instinctive reactions that evolved as part of natural selection for behavior which tended to prevent food poisoning, or exposure to danger or infection. Disgust is frequently associated with waste products such as feces or urine, secretions from the human body (such as mucus), and with decomposing flesh, and insects associated with it.
As in other human instinctual drives, disgust has an instinctual and a socially constructed aspect. Religious concepts of purity and pollution underlie various systems of taboo food and drink, such as the Jewish rules of kashrut and the Islamic distinction between halal and haram foods. Mary Douglas's 1966 book Purity and Danger attempted to ascribe these rules not to health or ecological reasons as some had hypothesized before, but rather to attempts to maintain symbolic boundaries: the forbidden and unkosher animals were not eaten because their place in the natural order was felt to be ambiguous, "neither fish nor fowl". Believers in food taboos feel that they may be contaminated by exposure to forbidden foods, regardless of their consumption by others or standards of preparation, and can manifest all of the physical and emotional symptoms of disgust at their presence.
Disgust and shame
Martha Nussbaum, a leading American philosopher, wrote a book published in 2004 entitled Hiding From Humanity: Disgust, Shame, and the Law which examines the relationship of disgust and shame to a society's laws.
A recent study found that women and children were more sensitive to disgust than men. Researchers attempted to explain this finding in evolutionary terms. While some find wisdom in adhering to one's feelings of disgust, some scientists have asserted that "reactions of disgust are often built upon prejudices that should be challenged and rebutted."
Perception of disgust
Huntington's disease
Many patients suffering from Huntington's disease, a genetically transmitted progressive neurodegenerative disease, are unable to recognize expressions of disgust in others and also don't show reactions of disgust to foul odors or tastes.<ref>Mitchell IJ, Heims H, Neville EA, Rickards H. Huntington's disease patients show impaired perception of disgust in the gustatory and olfactory modalities. Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 17:119-121, February 2005. PMID 15746492</ref> The inability to recognize disgust in others appears in carriers of the Huntington gene already before the disease has broken out.[1] [Apr 2007]
