The Behavioral Immune System: How does it contribute to our understanding of human behavior?
Category
Book Section
Authors
Thiebaut, G, Méot, A, Witt, A, Prokop, P, Bonin, P,
Year
2021
Title
The Behavioral Immune System: How does it contribute to our understanding of human behavior?
Journal / book / conference
Advances in Psychology Research
Abstract
The aim of the present chapter is to present theoretical and empirical arguments in support of the existence of a defense system against pathogens: the Behavioral Immune System (BIS). Complementary to the well-known biological immune system, this system represents a recent theoretical proposition which has given rise to an increasing number of studies. After a description of the functional characteristics of the BIS, we will describe a range of studies on the cognitive (e.g., perception of pathogens, memorization of sources of contamination), emotional (e.g., role of disgust), motivational and social (e.g., discrimination, xenophobia) aspects of this system. In the context of the global pandemic due to the ‘SARS-CoV-2’ coronavirus, we hope to provide an overview of a number of works, rooted in the evolutionary sciences, which strongly suggest that pathogens, which are our evolutionary companions, shape a large number of our psychological behaviors.
Pages
1-59
Keywords
behavioral immune system; pathogens; disgust; evolutionary psychology