Evolution & Human Behavior
Volume 28, Issue 6 , Pages 410-414, November 2007

Pathogen-avoidance mechanisms and the stigmatization of obese people☆

  • Justin H. Park

      Affiliations

    • University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Psychology, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands. Tel.: +31 50 363 7151; fax: +31 50 363 4581.
    • ,
  • Mark Schaller

      Affiliations

    • University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 124, Canada
    • ,
  • Christian S. Crandall

      Affiliations

    • University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7556, USA

Received 22 December 2006; accepted 25 May 2007. published online 23 July 2007.

Abstract 

Humans possess pathogen-avoidance mechanisms that respond to the visual perception of morphological anomalies in others. We investigated whether obesity may trigger these mechanisms. Study 1 revealed that people who are chronically concerned about pathogen transmission have more negative attitudes toward obese people; this effect was especially pronounced following visual exposure to obese individuals. Study 2 revealed that obesity is implicitly associated with disease-connoting concepts; this effect was especially pronounced when the threat of pathogen transmission is highly salient. Evolved pathogen-detection mechanisms are hypersensitive, and they appear to play a role in the stigmatization of obese people.

Keywords: Behavioral immune system, Disease avoidance, Obesity, Pathogen cues, Stigma

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☆ This research was supported by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and a University of British Columbia Graduate Fellowship.

PII: S1090-5138(07)00052-9

doi:10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2007.05.008

Evolution & Human Behavior
Volume 28, Issue 6 , Pages 410-414, November 2007

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