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The Yuck Factor: When Disgust Meets Discovery Charles W. Schmidt Abstract
People often instinctively reject fearsome or repugnant things, especially when those things are unfamiliar. If shared by masses of people, collective repugnance becomes a social force with the power to shape environmental and public policy. The so-called yuck factor, a term coined to describe the influence of instinctive responses over adoption of new technologies, has come into play in a number of environmental health discussions, including such areas as reclaimed wastewater projects, food produced using new biotechnologies, and carbon dioxide trading on the open market. Are gut reactions irrational hindrances to scientific advancement or valuable warning signs of possible health dangers? Those who study the science of disgust feel both may be true. An erratum is posted online at http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2009/117-4/errata4.html.
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