Extending the the behavioral immune system to political psychology: Are political conservatism and disgust sensitivity really related?

Original article:

Extending the the behavioral immune system to political psychology: Are political conservatism and disgust sensitivity really related?

Evolutionary Psychology 8(4): 599-616 Joshua M. Tybur, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA, tybur@unm.eduLeslie A. Merriman, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USAAnn E. Caldwell Hooper, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USAMelissa M. McDonald, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USACarlos David Navarrete, Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA

Abstract

Previous research suggests that several individual and cultural level attitudes, cognitions, and societal structures may have evolved to mitigate the pathogen threats posed by intergroup interactions. It has been suggested that these anti-pathogen defenses are at the root of conservative political ideology. Here, we test a hypothesis that political conservatism functions as a pathogen-avoidance strategy. Across three studies, we consistently find no relationship between sensitivity to pathogen disgust and multiple measures of political conservatism. These results are contrasted with theoretical perspectives suggesting a relationship between conservatism and pathogen avoidance, and with previous findings of a relationship between conservatism and disgust sensitivity.

Keywords

Disgust, pathogen avoidance, political attitudes, individual differences

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