Disgust - Definition and Overview

Disgust is an emotion, typically associated with things that are perceived as unclean or inedible. Disgust is one of the basic emotions of Robert Plutchik's theory of emotions.

Disgust may be further subdivided into physical disgust, associated with physical or metaphorical uncleanness, and moral disgust, a similar feeling related to courses of action. Antonyms to disgust are sympathy, liking.

Martha Nussbaum, a leading American philosopher, wrote a book published in 2004 entitled Hiding From Humanity: Disgust, Shame, and the Law which examines the relationship of disgust and shame to a society's laws.

A recent study found that women and children were more sensitive to disgust than men. Researchers attempted to explain this finding in evolutionary terms.

See also

• foodborne illness
• taboo
• phobia
• nausea

External links

• Nancy Sherman, a researcher investigating disgust (http://www14.vjc.edu/academics/faculty/sherman_nancy/)
• Jon Haidt's page about the Disgust Scale (http://wsrv.clas.virginia.edu/~jdh6n/disgustscale.html)
• Hiding from Humanity: Disgust, Shame, and the Law (http://pup.princeton.edu/chapters/i7697.html)