Concern about salient pathogen threats increases sensitivity to disgust

Individuals vary in their sensitivity to disgust—differences that have implications for intergroup attitudes, political ideology, and beyond. However, the source of this variability disgust remains a subject debate. In work, we test hypothesis is “calibrated” by an individual's concern about disease threats local ecology. Leveraging COVID-19 pandemic, obtain strong support hypothesis, finding increased following outbreak degree increase was moderated subjective contracting disease. This work fills longstanding theoretical gap regarding sources sensitivity, while challenging view immutable individual difference. Given role motivating prejudice anticipate these increases are likely important downstream societal implications.