Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2013 Jul 22.
Published in final edited form as: Cogn Psychol. 2008 Aug 16;58(2):177–194. doi: 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2008.06.002

Table 1. Study 1, sample biological mechanism explanations.

Germs-transmission Disgust-transmission Contaminating substance transfer Dirt or dirty substance transfer
“Because this one has the germs from the dog on it. Dog took a lick, they spread germs on each other and the boy gets sick” “If she eats it then there's mud, because the chocolate chip cookie fell In the mud, there would be mud in her mouth, since there's also bugs In mud, that's gross” “Maybe the grasshopper has a color on its skin that got In the pop and made it poisonous. Maybe the grasshopper hopped in and left green stuff” “It fell in the dirt. there's little animals in there; little animals climb in there”
“Because the dirt is dirty and she doesn't want to get sick. Dirt has yucky germs on it and that's where the worms are” “Cause there's doggy lick In there; because it would taste gross” “Cause he knew the grasshopper jumped in and jumped out 'Cause it doesn't taste good; that kind of grasshopper flavor doesn't taste good” “Because the leaf came in and fogged the milk and got it all dirty. It just dirty cause the leaf came in”
“Because he doesn't want to get dog germs, they will make him definitely sick. Dogs have dirty tongues like worms” “Because of the leaf, cause they are yucky for you. You get icky stuff in your tummy” “He wanted the grape because he wouldn't want doggy slime in his mouth. He would have to go to the doctor” “Because the chocolate milk was dirty cause the leaf fell In. the leaf can crack and a piece can fall off”