Disgust in response to some arthropods aligns with disgust provoked by pathogens

Abstract

Insects are widely disliked by the public, despite the fact that they provide valuable ecosystem services and are vital components of ecosystems. Public support toward wildlife conservation is influenced by attitudes toward different taxa, thus, the widespread negativity toward insects shown by the general public almost certainly detracts from conservation efforts for them. Negative attitudes toward insects and other invertebrates take many forms, one of which is the feeling of disgust. Disgust has been widely researched and is typically divided into distinct domains (e.g., moral disgust). In order to determine whether insect-specific disgust is unique from other domains of disgust, we conducted a survey of 704 incoming freshmen at a major Midwestern university with questions pertaining to Moral, Pathogen, and Insect-specific Disgust. Factor analyses indicate that Insect Disgust and Pathogen Disgust are part of the same construct, unique from Moral Disgust. Our results suggest that survey respondents perceived insects in the same way as they would pathogens, at least in regard to disgust. This research provides insight into how the public views insects, and will facilitate educational interventions aimed at challenging negative attitudes toward insects. The Insect Disgust Scale will be a useful measure of insect-related disgust in future studies.

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