Disgust is a universal human emotion that protects us from potential harm. While there are some common triggers, disgust is also subjective and cultural. Things that revolt one person may not bother someone else at all. Still, researchers have identified several categories of disgust elicitors that many people find repulsive.
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Rotten Foods
Rotten, spoiled, or contaminated foods are among the most universally disgusting things. The emotion of disgust likely evolved to stop us from eating foods that could make us sick. Smells are strongly linked to disgust, and the stench of rotten eggs, meat, or dairy products can make many people nauseous and recoil in revulsion. Even photos of moldy bread or sour milk can trigger a disgust response.
Common Rotten Food Disgust Triggers:
- Spoiled milk
- Moldy cheese
- Rotten eggs
- Bad meat
- Sour dairy products
- Contaminated looking foods
Poor Hygiene
Poor personal hygiene and dirty living conditions are other common disgust elicitors. Body odors, greasy hair, unbrushed teeth, unwiped noses, and unclean homes contain cues that suggest disease or contamination risk. Grime, litter, cockroaches, and rodents also signal unhygienic conditions to avoid. Our disgust response prompts us to avoid people and places with poor hygiene to avoid exposure to potential infections.
Common Poor Hygiene Disgust Triggers:
- Body odor
- Bad breath
- Greasy hair
- Dirty fingernails
- Messy homes
- Cockroaches
- Mice droppings
Bodily Fluids
Things like mucus, saliva, urine, feces, and sexual fluids trigger disgust in many people, even though they are natural bodily products. This response likely evolved as a disease avoidance mechanism to motivate hygienic behavior. People express varying levels of disgust sensitivity towards vomit, snot, spit, blood, and other bodily excretions. The more potential for disease transmission, the more disgusted most individuals feel.
Common Bodily Fluid Disgust Triggers:
- Vomit
- Mucus
- Saliva
- Urine
- Feces
- Sexual fluids
- Blood
Vermin
Bugs, rodents, and other vermin also disgust most people. These creatures carry disease risks and once served as signs of unclean conditions. While not inherently dirty, mice, rats, roaches, flies, ticks, and other pests still disgust modern humans. Their twitchy movements, numerous legs, and potential to spread bacteria spark aversion and nausea.
Common Vermin Disgust Triggers:
- Flies
- Roaches
- Mice
- Rats
- Maggots
- Worms
- Ticks
Decomposing Bodies
Nothing elicits more universal disgust than the sight, smell, or thought of decomposing bodies. Decaying corpses pose enormous infection hazards, so this extreme disgust response clearly aims to keep us away from dangerous cadavers. People feel deep disgust towards decaying bodies, bones, and anything that reminds us of death. Images of maggots feeding on remains also trigger deep disgust and aversion.
Common Decomposing Body Disgust Triggers:
- Rotting corpses
- Maggots
- Decay smells
- Exhumed bones
- Morgues
- Coffins
Deformities
Facial and bodily deformities, abnormalities, or anything that looks diseased tends to elicit disgust. This response may stem from potential disease risks associated with abnormalities. Burns, scars, skin conditions, asymmetrical faces, or physical disfigurements commonly trigger disgust reactions, often mixed with fear or distress.
Common Deformity Disgust Triggers:
- Severe burns
- Facial scars
- Skin conditions
- Physical disfigurement
- Exposed bones/organs
- Missing limbs
Moral Violations
In addition to physical disgust elicitors, abstract moral transgressions can also trigger a sense of disgust. People describe unethical behaviors like lying, cheating, stealing, or racism as “disgusting.” This reflects how humans likely adapted the physical disease avoidance disgust response towards social “pathogens” that threaten group welfare. Examples that “sicken” us extend beyond societal taboos.
Common Moral Disgust Triggers:
- Racism/bigotry
- Abuse
- Murder
- Rape
- Lying
- Stealing
- Betrayal
Sexual Behaviors
Certain sexual acts or violations of sexual norms also elicit disgust for many people. Research links moral development with emerging sexual disgust sensitivity. Behaviors like incest, bestiality, necrophilia or extreme sexual fetishes seem to universally disgust people. This helps establish social sexual boundaries and norms within societies. Individual values greatly influence what sexual acts people find disgusting.
Common Sexual Disgust Triggers:
- Incest
- Bestiality
- Necrophilia
- Extreme fetishes
- Public sex
- Child molesters
Graphic Violence
Gruesome violence, gore, and bodily destruction also evoke widespread disgust. Similar to decaying bodies, gory imagery threatens our physical being and confronts subconscious fears. Viewing mangled bodies, gaping wounds, tortured victims or murder scenes are profoundly disturbing for most. The more graphic the violence, the more intense the disgust response.
Common Violent Disgust Triggers:
- Mutilated bodies
- Exposed organs
- Massacres
- Torture scenes
- Suicide aftermath
- Decaying corpses
Conclusion
Disgust helps protect us from harm and influences both physical and social behaviors. While it motivates hygiene and cleanliness, strong disgust reactions towards deformity, sexuality, or social groups can become problematic. Cultivating disgust resilience while still avoiding genuine threats is beneficial. Disgust remains an essential emotion, but one that requires wisdom in its application towards ourselves and others.