The behavioral immune system (“BIS”) is a set of psychological and behavioral mechanisms that allow a person, on the one hand, to identify infections, harmful substances or parasitic diseases, and on the other, to show preventive behavior to prevent diseases, in particular Avoid contact with these objects. First described by psychologist Mark Schaller [1] [2] [3] .
Emotion of disgust plays a central role in the functioning of the behavioral immune system [2] . The most effective activators of BIS are external stimuli resembling substances that transmit diseases (for example, vomiting, urine, feces, pus and blood) [1] .
Content
Description
Living organisms are at risk of contact with parasites, whose biomass competes with predators in some ecosystems. Parasitic viruses, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, helminths and arthropods live in strong relationships with their owners, from which they attract energy, housing, transportation and reproductive capabilities. They damage their master by producing toxins, manipulating behavior for their own purposes and spreading to the clan and community. Living organisms have mechanisms to protect against damage by parasites, including a number of physiological barriers and a complex immune system. In addition to these physiological defenses, they also protect themselves from infection through behavior that functions as a “behavioral immune system” [4] .
Pathogen avoidance behavior is universal across cultures, with all societies exhibiting individual and group behavior related to hygiene. It includes cleaning the body, home, and places of sharing, avoiding close contact or exchange of physical fluids with others (with exceptions for relatives), and avoiding harmful, contaminated, or unfamiliar products [4] .
The main function of the behavioral immune system is to encourage people to avoid potential sources of pollution. One of the potential sources is other people, especially members of unfamiliar groups [1] .
External stimuli resembling substances that transmit diseases (e.g., vomiting , urine , feces , pus and blood ) are particularly effective activators of BIS. In response to such stimuli, BIS activates adaptive responses, including affective ( aversion ), cognitive (thoughts of pollution) and behavioral ( avoidance ), that is, encourages people to avoid situations that can lead to pollution. In different people, BIS manifests itself to varying degrees [1] .
Since it is impossible to avoid everything that pathogens can carry, people choose a compromise between the potential costs of contact with pathogens and the costs associated with avoiding disgust. For example, a hungry person may choose to eat stale meat [2] .
Some sexual activities or partners also cause disgust. Since sexual intercourse entails potential exposure to pathogens, homosexual intercourse, sex with children or the elderly can expose a person to pathogens without providing opportunities for reproduction. The idea of sexual contact with such partners causes sexual aversion, but simple physical contact between family members is not avoided, despite the fact that related sexual contact - incest , causes sexual aversion [2] .
It is assumed that the mechanisms that make up the behavioral immune system have developed as the first line of defense against pathogenic pathogens [1] .
BIS and Sexual Behavior
The term “ homophobia ” has many synonyms: heterosexism , homo-negativity and sexual prejudice - that is, the terms that are used to denote a negative attitude towards homosexuality, lesbians and gays; the term “homophobia” is most commonly used. This term does not meet the criteria of a phobia and is not completely suitable [3] [5] . Representatives of minorities with low status often cause disgust, and studies have shown that disgust may be associated with the anti-LGBT position [3] . Emotion of disgust plays a central role in the functioning of the behavioral immune system [2] . In the context of sexual prejudice, experiments by Neuberg and his colleagues (1994) showed that a man who was presented as heterosexual was negatively evaluated when examined with a friend who was gay. That is, the stigma of a gay polluted the perception of a heterosexual. At the same time, gay was not destigmatized by such contact with heterosexuals [2] . Thus, the behavioral immune system can be activated by people who seem “strange” because they do not comply with generally accepted norms, including the norms of sexual practices, hygiene and cooking [3] . Gays are associated with HIV / AIDS and may be perceived as posing a risk of infection due to this association [2] . At the same time, the authors of some publications point out that contact with gays reduces sexual prejudice and suggest that education is the key to eradicating stereotypes and prejudices against gays [3] .
BIS and Social Interactions
BIS affects social interactions and intergroup relationships. Disgust correlates with prejudice towards homosexual people, in addition, the behavioral immune system contributes to xenophobia and ethnocentrism [1] . Theoretically, individuals with stronger BISs more support socially conservative values. In this way, BIS can regulate social relations by encouraging value systems that protect people from members of external groups that pose a risk of infection [1] .
Moral disgust is often caused by sexual abuse or financial fraud. This form of disgust helps people avoid sanctions by members of their group and coordinate the punishment of those who violate the rules. In this case, it is not physical avoidance that manifests itself, but social distance [2] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 John A. Terrizzi, Natalie J. Shook, Michael A. McDaniel. The behavioral immune system and social conservatism: a meta-analysis // Evolution and Human Behavior. - 2013-03. - T. 34 , no. 2 . - S. 99–108 . - ISSN 1090-5138 . - DOI : 10.1016 / j.evolhumbehav.2012.10.003 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Gabrielle Filip-Crawford, Steven L. Neuberg. Homosexuality and Pro-Gay Ideology as Pathogens? Implications of a Disease-Spread Lay Model for Understanding Anti-Gay Behaviors // Personality and Social Psychology Review. - 2016-06-23. - Vol. 20 , iss. 4 . - P. 332-364 . - ISSN 1532-7957 1088-8683, 1532-7957 . - DOI : 10.1177 / 1088868315601613 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 Vittorio Lingiardi, Nicola Nardelli. Negative Attitudes to Lesbians and Gay Men: Persecutors and Victims (Eng.) // Emotional, Physical and Sexual Abuse. - Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2014. - P. 33–47 . - ISBN 9783319067865 , 9783319067872. - DOI : 10.1007 / 978-3-319-06787-2_3 .
- ↑ 1 2 Valerie Curtis, Mícheál de Barra, Robert Aunger. Disgust as an adaptive system for disease avoidance behavior . en: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Published 3 January 2011. DOI: 10.1098 / rstb.2010.0117
- ↑ see also Gregory Herek : Homophobia