Author: University of Helsinki
Published: 21st Apr 2017
Peer-Reviewed Publication: N/A
Additional References: Sexuality Publications
Summary: According to a recent study in moral cognition, individuals who are sensitive to sexual disgust are more likely to make duty based moral judgements.
Every person has both utilitarian (consequentialist) and Kantian (duty- or rule-based) moral intuitions, which are activated in different situations in different ways. The field of Moral Psychology studies these types of intuitions and the psychological factors behind them. The emotion of disgust has been found to influence the formation of moral judgements. According to a recent study in moral cognition, individuals who are sensitive to sexual disgust are more likely to make duty based moral judgements. The study has been published in the journal Scientific Reports, hosted by Nature Publishing Group.
According to post doctoral researcher Michael Laakasuo, reactions to the classical trolley dilemmas are good examples of how moral intuitions are divided.
A runaway trolley is about to drive over five workers. Participants are asked if it's acceptable to divert the trolley to a nearby track that only has one worker. In a situation like this about 90% of people think that this sort of utilitarian action is acceptable. If the participant is asked if it's permissible to push somebody on the tracks so that this will stop the trolley, only about 15% of people find this acceptable. This moral condemnation of a sacrifice is considered Kantian, after moral philosopher Immanuel Kant, who claimed it is never permissible to use human lives merely as a means to an end.
Previous research has split disgust sensitivity into three different sub-dimensions: pathogen, sexual and moral disgust. Individuals who are sensitive to pathogen disgust are especially repulsed e.g. when they think of stepping on dog poo or when they see open wounds. People who easily experience sexual disgust feel aversion e.g. towards watching pornographic videos or hearing their neighbours making love. Individuals sensitive to moral disgusts will express disgust e.g. towards people who cut in line.
A bit surprisingly, our results imply that moral disgust sensitivity has no connection with Kantian or utilitarian moral preferences.
The results are suprising also in that sexual disgust seems to be strongly associated with moral views that do not approve of sacrificing individuals in order to save the lives of several others.
People who are, for example, not keen on watching porn or do not like to think about giving oral sex are also more likely to find killing individuals for "the greater good" aversive. We do not know why this is so, but sexual disgust sensitivity is known to be associated with conservative attitudes and rule obedience more generally, so it could be that treating people as objects is also more aversive to those who are conscious about rules and social norms, Laakasuo explains.
You can read the whole study at: www.nature.com/articles/srep45526
Post to Twitter Add to Facebook
Latest Sexuality Publications | |
---|---|
The above information is from our reference library of resources relating to Sexuality that includes: | |
Research Reveals Connection Between Partner's Gender and Women's Orgasm Expectations Study investigates factors influencing orgasm rates for women across sexual orientations. Publish Date: 4th Apr 2024 - Updated: 5th Oct 2024 | |
Sex Lives in Britain Revealed Study reveals the number of sexual partners we have changes as we age, and there are some surprising results. Publish Date: 8th Sep 2023 - Updated: 14th Dec 2023 | |
Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to all Creation by Olivia Judson– a book review The Definitive Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex: A delightful opportunity to watch things get weird and wild in the name of science and sex. Publish Date: 14th Jun 2023 | |
Survey Finds 1 in 15 Changed Reported Sexual Identity Over a Six-Year Period Report reveals over 6% of the UK population aged 16 and over, or 1 in 15, changed their reported sexual identity over a 6 year period. Publish Date: 12th Jun 2023 |
1Transgender Reporting Guide
How to write about transgender people.
2Am I Gay? Questions to Ask
Think you may be gay or bisexual?
3Glossary of Sexuality Terms
Definitions of sexual terms & acronyms.
4LGBTQ+ Pride Flags
Symbols of Identity and Inclusion.
5LGBT Awareness Dates
Important LGBTQ community awareness days, remembrance dates, and coming pride events.
• Submissions: Send us your coming events and LGBTQ related news stories.
• Report Errors: Please report outdated or inaccurate information to us.
• (APA): University of Helsinki. (2017, April 21). Those Sensitive to Sexual Disgust More Likely To Be Kantian. SexualDiversity.org. Retrieved December 12, 2024 from www.sexualdiversity.org/sexuality/751.php
• Permalink: <a href="https://www.sexualdiversity.org/sexuality/751.php">Those Sensitive to Sexual Disgust More Likely To Be Kantian</a>