Biology of disgust linked to gay marriage politics

[Jingthing]

It seems politically conservative folks have a tendency to be more easily disgusted than liberals.

As if we didn't know that already!

Edited snippets posted to introduce discussion. To understand the article, one must actually read it rather than react only to the snippets.

http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/gay-marriage-and-the-political-psychology-of-disgust-20140728

When Michael Sam kissed his boyfriend on television to celebrate his successful draft into the NFL, some viewers were disgusted. The charged comments that followed demonstrated that when it comes to public displays of gay affection, some people have a gut reaction to recoil. But why?

...

Here's the state of the science of disgust right now. Conservatives are thought to have a greater propensity to be disgusted than liberals do.

...

In a recently published experiment, Stewart and his colleagues demonstrated that the presence of a disgusting odor decreased support of gay marriage.

Edited July 27, 2014 by Jingthing

[onthemoon]

Why are we disgusted by anything? Living in Thailand, I have seen Thai people eating big red ants crawling over the seat of a parked motorbike, or eating deep-fried locusts (and chasing me - screaming like a girl - around the living room with them). In fact, there is nothing disgusting about it, they are actually delicious and nutritious (the locusts; didn't try the ants). We only learned during our upbringing that we should react in disgust when we see certain thihngs. I subscribe to this theory about when we react disgusted, mentioned in the article:

Traditionally the answer to that has been from the environment, from experience. You know, mom and dad taught me at the table. You come from a good family of liberals, you're raised in a particular culture. It's your surrounding environment. In other words, we come into the world as political blank slates and pick up our ideology from our experiences as we go through life.

Call me conservative on this issue, as the article questions this traditional answer.

Whether Conservatives or Democrats (as in supporters of different political parties) in the US are more disgusted about seeing a gay couple kissing, is worth a discussion but I wouldn't know anything about it. I do believe though that parents tend to support one party or the other (unfortunately, there are only two major parties in that country), so this supports the theory that acceptance or disgust is learned. Theoretically.

[onthemoon]

Oh, and one more thing: When I was a soldier, I was openly gay. This was in the 1980s and obviously, I am not American. Anyway, this was no problem with the guys, we even showered together - when the sergeant brought this up, they just laughed and said "What is the problem: He is not going to rape us!"

But one day my boyfriend picked me up in the evening, and we kissed at the gate where I met him. This was the talk of the barracks the next day - people were shocked. I put it down as the difference between theory and practice. As long as you only know about it, it is rationalised, but when you see it, it suddenly becomes reality.

I would think this is the same that happened when Michael Sam kissed his boyfriend. We have to be gentle with the heteros, this is all new to them, and they have to get used to it.

They will, if they see men kissing men more often.

[onthemoon]

Talking to myself here: When I first came to Thailand, people would have been shocked (and probably disgusted) to see straight couples kiss in public.

[Maestro]

I know what biology is ( http://i.word.com/idictionary/biology) and what disgust is ( http://i.word.com/idictionary/disgust), but what is biology of disgust?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Scott]

I don't particularly like amorous displays of affection in public places by either people regardless of sexual orientation. The peck on he cheek, the minor hug is fine -- I don't consider that amorous. The exchanging of bodily fluids I think should be a little further out of public view.

I am not revolted by it, but it's slightly uncomfortable. I am especially uncomfortable if I am not participating!

[Jingthing]

I know what biology is ( http://i.word.com/idictionary/biology) and what disgust is ( http://i.word.com/idictionary/disgust), but what is biology of disgust?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I'm not sure I really understand what you're asking, but maybe I do.

The linked article gets into some of this but does not pretend to have any "final" answers:

"Disgust is apart of what is referred to as the behavioral immune system, which protects us from dealing with items and individuals that might make us sick, that might kill us," says Patrick Stewart, a political scientist at the University of Arkansas (and not of X-Men, Star Trek fame).

...

illustrative study in 2011 found that people who were more physiologically disgusted, a reaction that was measured by skin reactions, by this photo of a man eating a mouthful of worms were also more likely to self-identify as conservative.

Using terms like "immune system" and showing actual physical reactions does suggest a biological component in what perhaps is more commonly seen as purely a psychological thing.

Or perhaps it would have been better if I had phrased the headline differently ...

Edited July 28, 2014 by Jingthing

[onthemoon]

I don't particularly like amorous displays of affection in public places by either people regardless of sexual orientation. The peck on he cheek, the minor hug is fine -- I don't consider that amorous. The exchanging of bodily fluids I think should be a little further out of public view.

I am not revolted by it, but it's slightly uncomfortable. I am especially uncomfortable if I am not participating!

See, that's my point. I am not revolted by sex in public - animals do that too, and I have no idea why it is considered 'bad' if people do it. But it is, and that's because people think it is disgusting. I think kissing and sex are natural things, like eating.

It is obvious that people think differently about it. I have no intention of "fighting" for my feeling to become generally accepted, I don't care enough about this. I am just saying that when I came to Thailand, holding hands of straight couples was considered immoral, it isn't any more.

On the other hand, I heard from an American soldier coming back from Afghanistan that that is the gayest country in the world. Of course he was wrong but he saw men holding hands in public everywhere, which would be considered immoral in his country.

You draw the line at bodily fluids, others draw the line at holding hands.

[sustento]

Did you know that there's a tribe in Nigeria who define what day of the week it is by which market thy're at? If they move from one market to another one an hour away their day changes.

They believe this because that's what they've been taught to believe since they were old enough to understand in the same way that many westerners believe that two men holding hands shows that they're homosexual.

I suspect that 'physiological disgust' is a result of conditioned behaviour rather than the other way round.

Anyone who's interested in cultural differences ought to try and get hold of 'The Silent Language' by Edward T Hall, an American anthropologist. In fact it ought to be compulsory reading for anyone visiting Thailand.

[ironbark]

I don't particularly like amorous displays of affection in public places by either people regardless of sexual orientation. The peck on he cheek, the minor hug is fine -- I don't consider that amorous. The exchanging of bodily fluids I think should be a little further out of public view.

I am not revolted by it, but it's slightly uncomfortable. I am especially uncomfortable if I am not participating!

As a generalisation (there are always some exceptions ) humans as a species prefer to have sex in private but love to watch it.

Compare to animals who are willing to do it whenever and wherever.

- source unknown.