scholarly journals Pathogen disgust sensitivity: More sensitive cue detection or stronger cue avoidance?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian van Leeuwen ◽  
Bastian Jaeger

Humans differ in their tendency to experience disgust and avoid contact with potential sources of pathogens. Pathogen disgust sensitivity has been used to explain a wide range of social phenomena, such as prejudice, conformity, and trust. Yet, its exact role in the motivational system that regulates avoidance of pathogens, the so-called behavioral immune system, remains unclear. Here, we test how individual differences in pathogen disgust sensitivity relates to the information processing structure underlying pathogen avoidance. Participants (n = 998) rated the perceived health of individuals with or without facial blemishes and indicated how comfortable they would feel about having physical contact with them. Participants with high disgust sensitivity viewed facial blemishes as more indicative of poor health. Moreover, for participants with high disgust sensitivity, perceived health was a stronger determinant of comfort with physical contact. These findings suggest that increased pathogen disgust sensitivity captures tendencies to more readily interpret stimuli as a pathogen threat and be more strongly guided by estimated infection risk when deciding who should be approached or avoided. This supports the notion that pathogen disgust sensitivity is a summary of investment in pathogen avoidance, rather than just an increased sensitivity to pathogen cues.

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 147470491982685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingting Ji ◽  
Joshua M. Tybur ◽  
Mark van Vugt

Researchers have proposed that intergroup prejudice is partially caused by behavioral immune system mechanisms. Across four studies (total N = 1,849), we used both experimental (pathogen priming) and individual differences (pathogen disgust sensitivity [PDS]) approaches to test whether the behavioral immune system influences prejudice toward immigrants indiscriminately (the generalized out-group prejudice hypothesis) or specifically toward immigrants from a pathogen-rich ecology (the origin-specific out-group prejudice hypothesis). Internal meta-analyses lend some support to both hypotheses. At the experimental level, pathogen primes had no effect on attitudes toward origin-unspecified immigrants or immigrants from a pathogen-rich ecology. At the individual differences level, PDS has a unique negative effect on comfort with immigrants from pathogen-rich ecologies but not on comfort with immigrants from unspecified ecologies. However, pathogen disgust sensitivity was negatively related to the decision to allow entry to both origin-unspecified immigrants and immigrants from a pathogen-rich ecology.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Vanessia Abraham

Composed between the sixth and ninth centuries, penitentials were little books of penance that address a wide range of human fallibility. But they are far more than mere registers of sin and penance: rather, by revealing the multiple contexts in which their authors anticipated various sins, they reveal much about the ways those authors and, presumably, their audiences understood a variety of social phenomena. Offering new, more accurate translations of the penitentials than what has previously been available, this book delves into the potentialities addressed in these manuals for clues about less tangible aspects of early medieval history, including the innocence and vulnerability of young children and the relationship between speech and culpability; the links between puberty, autonomy, and moral accountability; early medieval efforts to regulate sexual relationships; and much more.


Social relationships and the social networks over these relationships do not occur arbitrarily. However, the random networks dealt with in this chapter are important tools for modeling the networks of these systems. The authors use random networks to understand and to model dynamics regarding the whole social structure. Random network models became the topic of several studies independently from social network analysis in the 1950s. These models were used in the analysis of a wide range of social and non-social phenomena, from electrical and communication networks to the speed and manner of disease propagation. This chapter explores the modeling network dynamics of random networks.


Author(s):  
Zahra Mousavi ◽  
Zinat Yazdani ◽  
Alireza Moradabadi ◽  
Fatemeh Hoseinpourkasgari ◽  
Gholamhossein Hassanshahi

Abstract The word of hemoglobinopathy is described for an array of disorders that affecting hemoglobin (Hb) functions. Hb is a molecule with 68 kDa molecular weight, serving as oxygen carrying metalloprotein. Hemoglobinopathy includes a wide range of Hb structural deficits varying from thalassemia to sickle cell disease. Cyto-chemokine network members are pivotally involved in the pathogenesis of hemoglobinopathies, however, the exact role of these mediators in the development of these disorders yet to be well addressed. Cytokines and chemokines are generated by inflamed endothelial cells that promote the expression of their respected receptors and further activate NF-κβ, recruit red blood cells (RBCs) and white blood cells (WBCs) toward the inflamed endothelium. Therefore, due to critical roles played by the cyto-chemokine network in several aspects of hemoglobinopathies pathophysiology including apoptosis of endothelial cells, RBC, WBC and etc.…, in the present review, we focused on the critical parts played by this network in the pathogenesis of hemoglobinopathies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russ Clay

The present research utilized evolutionary theory to examine the relation between the behavioral immune system (i.e., disgust sensitivity) and attitudes about vaccines. The findings from the studies suggest that higher levels of dispositional disgust sensitivity is predictive of more negative attitudes toward vaccines. These findings are consistent with several recent publications and thus have broad implications for public health research associated with vaccines. In Study 1, participants reporting higher dispositional disgust sensitivity (specifically, contamination disgust) tended to report more negative attitudes about vaccines. Study 2 replicated this result in a nonstudent sample using additional measures of disgust sensitivity more closely associated with aversion to perceived sources of contamination. Study 2 also revealed that beliefs about the likelihood of contracting illness in the future were unrelated to vaccine attitudes. Implications for the observed relation between intuitive aversion to contamination and vaccine attitudes are discussed.


2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 147470491000800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua M. Tybur ◽  
Leslie A. Merriman ◽  
Ann E. Caldwell Hooper ◽  
Melissa M. McDonald ◽  
Carlos David Navarrete

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 1095-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Warren P. Tate ◽  
Elizabeth S. Poole ◽  
Julie A. Horsfield ◽  
Sally A. Mannering ◽  
Chris M. Brown ◽  
...  

The translational stop signal and polypeptide release factor (RF) complexed with Escherichia coli ribosomes have been shown to be in close physical contact by site-directed photochemical cross-linking experiments. The RF has a protease-sensitive site in a highly conserved exposed loop that is proposed to interact with the peptidyltransferase center of the ribosome. Loss of peptidyl–tRNA hydrolysis activity and enhanced codon–ribosome binding by the cleaved RF is consistent with a model whereby the RF spans the decoding and peptidyltransferase centers of the ribosome with domains of the RF linked by conformational coupling. The cross-link between the stop signal and RF at the ribosomal decoding site is influenced by the base following the termination codon. This base determines the efficiency with which the stop signal is decoded by the RF in both mammalian and bacterial systems in vivo. The wide range of efficiencies correlates with the frequency with which the signals occur at natural termination sites, with rarely used weak signals often found at recoding sites and strong signals found in highly expressed genes. Stop signals are found at some recoding sites in viruses where −1 frame-shifting occurs, but the generally accepted mechanism of simultaneous slippage from the A and P sites does not explain their presence here. The HIV-1 gag-pol −1 frame shifting site has been used to show that stop signals significantly influence frame-shifting efficiency on prokaryotic ribosomes by a RF-mediated mechanism. These data can be explained by an E/P site simultaneous slippage mechanism whereby the stop codon actually enters the ribosomal A site and can influence the event.Key words: translational stop signal, decoding, release factor, frame-shifting.


Author(s):  
Gayane R. Nersesyan

The given article investigates the conceptual sphere of the modern English pedagogical discourse. The purpose of the paper is presented by the identification of the main concepts of discourse and the ways they are verbalised by means of language. In order to meet the aim the author touches upon the main approaches to the notion “concept”, as well as the concepts already identified in the pedagogical discourse. The main research is represented by the linguacognitive, pragma-semantic, and discourse analyses of the English pedagogical discourse, represented by the authentic pedagogical articles, along with the identification of its main concepts which reflect a wide range of both social and pedagogical processes. The results of the analysis represent the English pedagogical discourse to be rather independent conceptual sphere showing its own features. The identified concepts TOLERANCE, MULTICULTURALISM, PROFICIENCY and LANGUAGE show the strong interconnection between current social phenomena and the pedagogical sphere affecting the way individuals explore the world. The actualization of these concepts becomes possible with the help of language that implements dominant lexemes, derivatives, synonyms, evaluation, and other language means to deliver the functional role of the English pedagogical discourse. The research allows us to conclude that this very type of the discourse, its conceptual sphere and complex pragmatic-communicative charge still represent a wide scope for further research that is yet to be conducted.


Author(s):  
Oksana Golovashina

In the article, the author offers an original version of the solution to the problem of the atomicity of social events. The relevance of the topic is due to the fact that it is indivisibility that makes it possible to distinguish an event from other social phenomena/processes. From the author’s point of view, the event must have a certain duration, which is atomic. As the first step, the author, relying on a wide range of sources that include the views of various theorists, considers the problem of the indivisibility of social events in the current theory of events. The author notes that logical-semantic interpretations of the indivisibility of events have become more widespread than the statement of ontological atomicity. Furthermore, the author dwells, in detail, on the interpretation of atomicity by observation. Analyzing the views of D. Davidson, A. F. Filippov, and others, the author proves that in the case of atomicity, by observation: (1) the criteria for this atomicity are rather blurred; (2) the event is a consequence not only of the observer’s figure, but also of his system of distinction and motives; (3) the complexity may be related to the spatial factor; and 4) the event itself is confused with the fact. The author also believes that limiting social events only to what is available to the human eye is not in line with modern trends. Additionally, the author shows the productivity of understanding the event as an object. In contrast to the participants in discussions aimed at distinguishing an event and an object, the author uses object conceptualization offered by object-oriented ontology. Events, which as objects are capable of change while retaining their indivisibility and stability, can be associated not only with the material but also with the ideal sphere, and have a system of distinctions. The proposed scheme allows us to assert the impossibility of negative events, gives a reason not only to talk about the atomicity of the event but to also emphasize the ontological foundations of this atomicity, and also offers the possibility of thinking about the social beyond the observed.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thang Van Hoang ◽  
Pietro Coletti ◽  
Alessia Melegaro ◽  
Jacco Wallinga ◽  
Carlos Grijalva ◽  
...  

AbstractSocial contact data are increasingly being used to inform models for infectious disease spread with the aim of guiding effective policies on disease prevention and control. In this paper, we undertake a systematic review of the study design, statistical analyses and outcomes of the many social contact surveys that have been published. Our primary focus is to identify the designs that have worked best and the most important determinants and to highlight the most robust findings.Two publicly accessible online databases were systematically searched for articles regarding social contact surveys. PRISMA guidelines were followed as closely as possible. In total, 64 social contact surveys were identified. These surveys were conducted in 24 countries, and more than 80% of the surveys were conducted in high-income countries. Study settings included general population (58%), schools/universities (37%) and health care/conference/research institutes (5%). The majority of studies did not focus on a specific age group (38%), whereas others focused on adults (32%) or children (19%). Retrospective and prospective designs were used mostly (45% and 41% of the surveys, respectively) with 6% using both for comparison purposes. The definition of a contact varied among surveys, e.g. a non-physical contact may require conversation, close proximity or both. Age, time schedule (e.g., weekday/weekend) and household size were identified as relevant determinants for contact pattern across a large number of studies. The surveys present a wide range of study designs. Throughout, we found that the overall contact patterns were remarkably robust for the study details. By considering the most common approach in each aspect of design (e.g., sampling schemes, data collection, definition of contact), we could identify a common practice approach that can be used to facilitate comparison between studies and for benchmarking future studies.


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