Disgust, A Forgotten Emotion
We rarely speak of disgust or repugnance; however, this is one of the basic emotions. When we go to eat something and perceive an unpleasant smell, we automatically refuse to swallow the food. The same thing happens when we smell a bad smell in the kitchen: we know that something is rotting and that we have to get rid of it because it can be harmful to our health. But, what is disgust?
Do you remember the last time you felt disgust? How did you feel ? Was it with food? Have you tried to eat it again? Would you be able to eat an insect? Do you think feeling disgust for such and such a thing can be a cultural experience?
Disgust is present in our lives from childhood, regardless of its intensity. It is therefore important to know what is behind this emotion because it sometimes hides something more important than a simple “toxic” aspect, like our way of perceiving the world. Let’s explore this idea further.
When do we feel disgust?
We feel disgust when we eat something poisonous or find ourselves nearby. It is an adaptive reaction that prevents us from going through unpleasant and harmful situations for our health. This emotion can also arise from an idea that causes us repugnance. Therefore, we find in this emotion the intention to avoid the risk of being contaminated.
For example, when we open our fridge ready to eat a good piece of watermelon and see that it is half rotten, we do not consider the possibility of eating it anyway. We just throw it away. Its poor condition has told us that it can affect our health and put us in danger. It can also be the case when we want to add a little milk to our coffee and perceive a sour smell when opening the bottle. We pour the milk in the sink and period.
The bad appearance and odor of many foods tells us that it is better to throw them away than to eat them. They can indeed cause us health problems. So we can think of disgust as an adaptive emotion that takes us away from the experience of intoxicating situations.
In addition, it should be noted that disgust, according to various studies, is linked to the insular cortex. In fact, lesions in this structure prevent you from feeling this emotion as well as recognizing it in others.
Is disgust cultural?
The experience of disgust can vary between cultures. Even if it is an emotion which can help us to avoid dangers for the organism, it is true that depending on the culture, certain foods can produce us repugnance when they are not. toxic. It is important to point out that this emotion has a characteristic facial expression which can even be observed in people who are blind from birth. It also has a typical physiological, psychological and behavioral response.
In France, few people doubt the exquisiteness of eating a plate of shrimp, but would you eat a plate of locusts or grasshoppers? In some countries, insects are considered delicious food while in others they arouse an incredible aversion.
A recipe can even be a pleasure for some people and a horror for others in the same country. Snails are a clear example. I am not relying on any scientific studies but I have noticed that some love them and others cannot even watch them. This emotion is therefore implicit in the personality and education that each individual receives.
It is true that there are more basic points that usually cause us great disgust, such as a bad appearance or a foul odor, but it is important to take into account the influence of culture. Depending on the latter, we may feel more or less rejection.
Ideological disgust
Feeling disgust definitely helps us keep our bodies away from toxicity. However, this emotion goes far beyond the pure food aspect. It also exists in the ideological domain. Many people express the disgust they feel for another culture, race, religion… Behind these ideas, that is to say inside the emotion, a thought of toxicity is also hidden.
Some people perceive other ideologies as toxic to themselves. They think that in some way these can harm their beliefs or their life in general. Racism and xenophobia derive from this type of disgust. By viewing other races and other people as poisonous, we reject and avoid them.
According to the results of research conducted by Paul Rozin, a psychologist who studies this emotion, “developed disgust is a reaction of rejection in relation to events that remind us of our animal nature”.
Rozin and colleagues report that although disgust is a defense mechanism that was originally created to avoid contamination, it gradually shed these organic elements. We can now come to feel loathing for someone who violates moral rules. As we see, this emotion has a very interesting evolutionary history.
In addition, according to some authors, feeling disgust for those who are racist, who abuse or who behave considered negative could mean that we assume the role of protector of human dignity within the social order. What do you think ?
Our thoughts Emotions are the engine of everything. But do you know more precisely what their functions are and how they affect us at the level p …
