Introduction
The article conducts an assessment of the issue of the role that is played by emotions in the existence of prejudice. The article assesses the likelihood that disgust, which is an instrumental emotion depicted by revulsion and withdrawal is an as significant predictor of the negative intergroup attitudes. The core objective of the authors was to assess the mechanics that are employed in the operations of disgust in the case of intergroup attitudes. The assessment of the question was regarding the attitudes towards immigrants. The article attempts to establish the fact that interpersonal disgust sensitivity is central to ideological interpretations as well as dehumanizing out-group perceptions in means that can effectively explain the prejudicial attitudes. Overall, the article asserts that disgust is linked with turning away from, distancing oneself as well as avoiding offensive stimuli as opposed to instigating fight responses and attacks.
In their attempt to resolve the issue addressed in the study, the authors predicted that cases of heightened sensitivity especially in the case of interpersonal disgust sensitivity would be able to predict the more negative attitudes towards the out-groups. The assertion was that the feelings would be more evident in the cases of the foreign and socially deviant out groups. The overall expectation by the authors was that the general as well as distal avoidance not associated with the groups or intergroup relations, interpersonal disgust would be able predict the intergroup attitudes. Hypothesis that guided the study included the assertion that distal avoidance would directly predict the increases in RWA due to its conservative danger focused revulsion properties. The additional hypothesis is that it would be possible to predict SDO as well as dehumanizing perceptions of the out groups due to its hierarchy-enhancing social properties.
The study involved psychology students taking part for credit. These participants indicated their attitudes about diverse groups on the commonly used and validated thermometers. These subjects also undertook the seven-item modern racism scale that had been modified to ensure that thy tapped immigrants attitudes.
In agree with the findings of the study that the existence of overall disgust sensitivity was a significant predictor of decreased liking of immigrants via the use of the MRS. It is additionally evident that the decreased liking of foreign ethnic groups that was assessed via the use of the feeling thermometers depicts the actual assessment of the case. It is clear that while the study observed most issues to avoid critical flaws in its design, there are attributes that impacted its effectiveness. The authors successfully managed to address the issues that were in the previous literature before and during the implementation of the study. Further, the study had a well laid out exclusion criteria with the assessment of the psychology students as the core participants implying that it was the main strategy used in delineating the participants. It is however evident that it suffers from some challenges as it failed to address the assumptions made in addition to failing to assess their sample size before the commencement of the study. On the issue of confounding questions, the authors have ensured that the articled does not raise any issues to affect the reliability and uniformity of the findings.
On the issue of generalization of the study, it is clear that the results can be used in explaining the association that exists between elements of interpersonal disgust and the attitudes towards immigrants. The results can be generalized in explaining the results of social dominance orientation on the group attitudes as being directly linked to dehumanization. The research conclusions can be generalized to the entire American society in the establishment of the common factors that hinder the realization of a unified society. Overall, the study establishes that interpersonal disgust is mainly relevant to the symbolic-ideational instead of realistic intergroup threats with emphasis on the issue of ideologies. It, however, is evident that further research should be conducted to assess the issue of the negative attributes that interfere with intergroup contact. The current study has failed to address the issue of the role that played by interpersonal-disgust sensitivity.
The study has a major impact on the society especially when it comes to the assessment of sensitivity to disgust and the effects of this sensitivity. The ability to assess and explain the relationship that exists between the mechanisms that explain disgust and interpersonal attitudes are central to the implementation of strategies that promote intergroup harmony. The necessity of promoting acceptance and tolerance is greatly affected by the comprehension of the workings of these factors. The overall assertion is that formulations of strategies that enhance togetherness in a diverse society are dependent on the ability to correctly predict the negative ideologies and intergroup representations that act against the creation of a unified society. Thus the study assists in the establishment of the common factors that could hinder the existence of a unified society and act to address the adverse effects that may arise due to the existence of the heightened disliking for one another.
Reference
Hodson, G., & Costello, K. (2007). Interpersonal disgust, ideological orientations, and dehumanization as predictors of intergroup attitudes. Psychological Science, 18(8), 691-698. doi:10.1111/j.1467 9280.2007.01962.x
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