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Behavioral Immune System

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Behavioral Immune System

The behavioral immune system entails a complex suite of affective, cognitive, and

behavioral mechanisms that essentially help prevent pathogen transmission in the face of

repeated infectious disease threats. Besides, it is a motivational system to avoid pathogens and

protect individuals from foreign outgroups. This system works to detect signals in the

environment and activate responses that lessen those threats.

How It May Affect our Attitudes

The behavioral immune system influences our attitude based on two aspects: (1)

Increased dislike and avoidance of strange outgroup targets and (2) Strengthening cohesion with

known and ingroup targets (Ackerman, Hill & Murray, 2018). These two social consequences

result in a change in interpersonal perception, judgment and decision-making, close

relationships, stereotyping and prejudice, group processes, and cultural norms. Behavioral

immunity affects how we perceive and acts towards the processes mentioned above.

How it shapes our Culture

Pathogen threat may be the root of many essential aspects and dimensions of cultures,

from individualism or collectivism to social and political, and religious belief. At a cultural

analysis level, the prevalence of pathogens predicts much about moral and social norms. It

shapes our culture in terms of intragroup attitudes as well as behaviors. For instance, our cultures

have different social norms, and therefore many diseases or pathogen threats are associated with

a more significant association (Schaller & Park, 2011). For example, extraversion entails

enjoying human interactions and social benefits in our Culture and society. However, it is

associated with disease-specific costs. The costs tend to be pronounced at the prevalence of high

pathogen threat. Therefore, in cultures characterized by a high prevalence level of pathogens,

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their populations are likely characterized by relatively lower levels of extraversion. Also, it

shapes our culture in terms of openness and experience. For instance, this implies risk-taking,

curiosity, willingness to deviate from cultural norms such as food preparation and hygiene helps

in inhibiting transmission of pathogens.

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References

Ackerman, J. M., Hill, S. E., & Murray, D. R. (2018). The behavioral immune system: Current

concerns and future directions. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 12(2),

e12371.

Schaller, M., & Park, J. H. (2011). The behavioral immune system (and why it matters). Current

directions in psychological science, 20(2), 99-103.