Physiology and Behavior
Volume 201, 2019, Pages 221-227

Body odor disgust sensitivity is associated with prejudice towards a fictive group of immigrants (Article)

Zakrzewska M. , Olofsson J.K. , Lindholm T. , Blomkvist A. , Liuzza M.T.*
  • a Gösta Ekman Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden
  • b Gösta Ekman Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden
  • c Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden
  • d Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Sweden
  • e Department of Surgical and Medical Sciences, “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro, Italy

Abstract

Why are certain individuals persistent in opposing immigration? The behavioral immune system framework implies that a psychological mechanism, which adapted to detect and avoid pathogen threats, is also reflected in contemporary social attitudes. Moreover, prejudice towards outgroups might be partially driven by implicit pathogen concerns related to the perceived dissimilarity with these groups’ hygiene and food preparation practices. Disgust, a universal core emotion supposedly evolved to avoid pathogen threats, as well as olfaction, both play a pivotal role in evoking disgust. In an online study (N = 800), we investigated whether individual differences in body odor disgust sensitivity (BODS) correlate with negative attitudes towards a fictive refugee group. The data analysis plan and hypotheses were preregistered. Results show that body odor disgust sensitivity is associated with xenophobia: BODS was positively associated with negative attitudes towards the fictive group. This relationship was partially mediated by perceived dissimilarities of the group in terms of hygiene and food preparation. Our finding suggests prejudice might be rooted in sensory mechanisms. © 2019 Elsevier Inc.

Author Keywords

Prejudice Body odor disgust sensitivity Olfaction Behavioral immune system Disgust Xenophobia

Index Keywords

immune system Prejudice data analysis major clinical study immigrant food processing xenophobia refugee nonhuman Article infectious agent hygiene human disgust odor human experiment
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85060332697&doi=10.1016%2fj.physbeh.2019.01.006&partnerID=40&md5=4738eb7b7f5fbd26aeb99de94bd5693b
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.01.006
ISSN: 00319384
Cited by: 3
Original Language: English