Extending the risk framework from pathogen disgust to sexual and moral disgust
Other forms of disgust do not demonstrate an input-output logic consistent with a
pathogen-avoidance function. For example, people often report feeling disgusted by incest or
violent aggression, despite there being no clear connection between such behavior and pathogen
harm. Natural selection generally proceeds by modifying existing traits to serve new ultimate
functions. In some cases, the old trait is entirely transformed into the new trait; for example, the
terrestrial quadruped’s forelimbs were transformed into the bat’s wings. In other cases, in what is
termed serial homology, an existing trait is duplicated and the duplicate is modified, such that the
organism possesses both the older, ancestral trait and the newer, derived trait; for example, the
snake’s fangs are modified duplicates of its other teeth. It appears that some emotions constitute
serial homologies, i.e., the functional features of one form of the emotion afforded repurposing to
serve other ultimate functions even as the original form was retained. Pathogen disgust motivates
avoidance and diminishes appetitive drive, features that made it well suited for repurposing to guide the individual away from other types of hazard. Hence, disgust responses to sexual stimuli
or moral violators can be understood as serial homologues of pathogen disgust, duplicates in
which the eliciting conditions have been importantly altered, and which operate in parallel with
the original pathogen-avoidance functions of disgust (Clark, 2010). Importantly, like pathogen
disgust, these subsidiary forms operate in domains in which costs and benefit tradeoffs must be
regulated. Correspondingly, considerations of decision-making under risk continue to apply in
these areas as well.
....
Moral disgust
motivates avoiding those who violate social norms, perhaps protecting the morally-disgusted individual from direct harm by the violator and/or from stigma-by-association (Neuberg et al. 1994) and higher-order punishment (punishment meted out to those who fail to punish norm
violators – Kelly 2011; Clark & Fessler 2014). Whenever this cost mitigation also sacrifices
benefits, such as from cooperation with norm violators, moral disgust too can be seen as a riskavoidance strategy."
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