Control over pathogen exposure and basal immunological activity influence disgust and pathogen-avoidance motivation

ABSTRACT

Disgust is reasoned to operate in conjunction with the immune system to help protect the body from illness. However, less is known about the factors that impact the degree to which individuals invest in pathogen avoidance (disgust) versus pathogen management (prophylactic immunological activity). Here, we examine the role that one’s control over pathogen contact plays in resolving such investment trade-offs, predicting that (a) those from low control environments will invest less in pathogen-avoidance strategies and (b) investment in each of these two strategies will occur in a compensatory fashion (i.e. they will be traded off with one other). Across four studies, we found support for these predictions, using a variety of manipulations and measures. By providing novel insights into how one’s control over pathogen exposure influences disgust sensitivity and immune system activity, the current research poses an important contribution to the literature on disgust, pathogen avoidance, and the immune system.

KEYWORDS:

• disgust
• control
• pathogen avoidance
• immune system
• functional flexibility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available upon request from the corresponding author [HKB]. The data are not publicly available due to containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by a grant from the National Science Foundation awarded to S.E.H (BCS# 1551201).