Disgust of the other side : how disgust relates to political attitudes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to expand upon prior-researched aspects of the Behavioral Immune System (BIS), a psychological mechanism that increases survival by detecting pathogens in the environment (Schaller, 2015). Prior studies have associated the BIS with disgust sensitivity, political orientation, political policy, and susceptibility to disease (Curtis, DeBarra, & Aunger, 2011; Oaten, Stevenson, & Case, 2009; Brenner & Inbar, 2015; Lee & Ottati, 2002; Terrizzi Jr, Shook, & McDaniel, 2013). The current research has the capacity to shed light on the degree to which the BIS is connected with the important modern-day political issue of immigration in the United States.

Keywords: Disgust, Behavioral Immune System, Perceived Vulnerability to Disease, Political Attitudes toward Immigrants