Latest

disgust

·May 14, 2025·5 min read

Disgust, Not Taste, Drives Vegetarian Meat Avoidance

A new study finds that vegetarians reject meat with the emotion of disgust, rather than simple distaste, mirroring the strong aversion meat-eaters feel toward taboo foods like human flesh or feces. In contrast, disliked vegetables like beets or sprouts are typically rejected due to distaste—an aversion based on taste or texture.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 25, 2024·4 min read

Imagination Reduces Disgust More Than Placebo

A recent study compared the effects of a placebo pill and an imaginary pill in reducing visually induced disgust. Both interventions lowered disgust intensity, with the imaginary placebo showing greater efficacy. Participants rated the imaginary pill higher for expected and perceived effectiveness. This research suggests that the imaginary intake of a placebo can be a powerful tool for emotion regulation.

This is a photo of a woman who looks as though she has just seen something really disgusting

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 22, 2021·4 min read

A Healthy Sense of Disgust Can Prevent Sickness

Exposure to unpleasant stimuli that might make you feel queasy or disgusted may be evolution's way of keeping us healthy and helping us to avoid infection.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 17, 2020·3 min read

Malice Leaves a Nasty Smell

Witnessing bad behaviors triggers similar neural responses to those triggered by noxious smells. The study also pinpoints a biomarker in the brain for disgust.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·July 20, 2019·4 min read

Emotion-detection applications built on outdated science

A new report warns most software designed to read facial emotions are based on outdated scientific data. Researchers say the majority of emotional detection software applications do not capture real differences in the way people convey, or interpret, emotion on faces.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·September 18, 2018·4 min read

Confronting ‘Yucky’ Attitudes About Genetically Engineered Foods

Researchers hope to expose the gap between advocates of GMOs and opponents.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology Visual Neuroscience

·June 20, 2018·3 min read

Dogs Understand What’s Written All Over Your Face

A new study reports dogs use different parts of their brains to process negative and positive emotional cues in human facial expressions.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·November 17, 2017·4 min read

What Grosses Out a Chimp?

Exposure to biological contaminants, such as feces and blood, through smell, sight and touch influence feeding choices in chimpanzees, a new study reports.

Featured Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·August 18, 2015·4 min read

Brain Imaging Study Finds Unequal Healthcare Funding Provokes Moral Disgust

A new study reports brain areas associated with moral and social disgust are triggered in people when they believe healthcare funding is split unequally.