The Healthy Side of Disgust

J.Adderton, BSN, MSN

Roaches in food. Frothy odorous sputum. Rotten tuna salad. It is impossible to completely dodge the uncomfortable squirm of disgust. I remember learning all about the 6 basic emotions in elementary school. The teacher would hold up a facial expression and everyone would associate the image with anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, or surprise. Of course, what I considered disgusting at the age of 5 is quite different than the middle-aged adult I am now. Recently, I listened to a news radio segment discussing the science of disgust. Who knew my emotional reaction to stepping in a steamy pile of dog poo is actual science? I had to know more.

What is Disgust Really?

Disgust is a strong emotional response to things we find repulsive. And by repulsive, I mean gross, ghastly and sickening. Disgust can be triggered by smells, sights or any of the senses. Triggers can also be related to a moral violation, social wrongdoing or the value system of a group. What we consider as disgusting is shaped by the culture and environment we grew up in. So, how do you know if it is disgust or dislike? Something disgusting gets your full attention and your experience a knee jerk reaction to move away.

Some Things Are Universally Disgusting

In the late 1990’s, Dr. Val Curtis, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), surveyed people from different countries on things that were disgusting to them. Regardless of geographic location, people universally found these things disgusting:

Bodily secretions- feces, vomit, spit, blood, pus, sexual fluids
Body parts- wounds, dead bodies, nail clippings
Rotten food- especially meat and fish
Certain creatures- lice, flies, maggots, worms, lice

If you think about it, isn’t our facial expression to disgust universal too? You know, the once with a furrowed brow, distorted face and lips pulled tight.

The 6 Categories of Disgust

Dr. Curtis continued her research and recently studied 2,500 participants levels of disgust when exposed to 70 different gross and ick inspired scenarios. Findings revealed six categories of disgust: poor hygiene, disease carrying animals, certain sexual behaviors, atypical appearance and behaviors, sores/wounds, visible signs of infection and rotting food.

Disgust Helps us Avoid Disease

Curtis concluded it is not by coincidence the identified disgust categories are all sources of illness, infection and disease. I wish I had a penny for every time my mother made me shower immediately after swimming in the public pool. “It’s full of pee and ewww so disgusting!” she would say while dousing me with shampoo. Young children generally don’t have a strong sense of disgust. They are basically dependent on their parents’ feelings and responses to triggers. As we age and gain life experience, our sense and response to disgust broadens.

A Teacher of Manners?

The benefits of disgust beyond the prevention of illness. Children learn to not pick their nose or chew with their mouth open because someone told them those habits are disgusting. Disgust continues to teach manners and politeness on into adulthood.

Disgust and Our Sense of Morality

Research has observed a link between a person’s moral judgement and disgust. For example, after completing a continuing education course on violence and elder abuse, a common emotion is deep disgust. Feelings of disgust invoke a sense of moral outrage in people. Or sense of disgust aids in the determination of what is morally right and wrong and sometimes acts as a call to action.

Potential Social Consequences and Political Affiliations

We are often disgusted by other people because of intolerance, prejudice and negative attitudes. When this happens, it’s a missed opportunity for new relationships and experiences. Nurses often use empathy to counter feelings of disgust towards another person. By empathizing with a patient diagnosed with gangrene, we are less sensitive to feelings of disgust and try to help.

Pizarro, A Cornell University professor, studied the variable of disgust sensitivity across three studies. He found people who reporting feeling easily disgusted were more likely to identify as politically conservative. Researchers have also found when disgusted, people become more stringent in socio moral judgements.

Disgust is strong ally in protecting us from infection and disease. It also shapes how we view and react to other people. What part does disgust play in your nursing practice?

The Science Behind Disgust

Taking Control of Disgust

The Health Benefits of Disgust

Val Curtis- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine