Body odour disgust sensitivity is associated with xenophobia: evidence from nine countries across five continents

• Published in: Royal Society Open Science
• Main Authors: Marta Z. Zakrzewska, Sandra Challma, Torun Lindholm, Sebastian Cancino-Montecinos, Jonas K. Olofsson, Marco Tullio Liuzza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Royal Society 2023-04-01
• Subjects: olfaction; disgust; prejudice; xenophobia; body odour disgust sensitivity; disease avoidance
• Online Access: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.221407

Body odour disgust sensitivity (BODS) reflects a behavioural disposition to avoid pathogens, and it may also involve social attitudes. Among participants in the USA, high levels of BODS were associated with stronger xenophobia towards a fictitious refugee group. To test the generalizability of this finding, we analysed data from nine countries across five continents (N = 6836). Using structural equation modelling, we found support for our pre-registered hypotheses: higher BODS levels were associated with more xenophobic attitudes; this relationship was partially explained by perceived dissimilarities of the refugees' norms regarding hygiene and food preparation, and general attitudes toward immigration. Our results support a theoretical notion of how pathogen avoidance is associated with social attitudes: ‘traditional norms’ often involve behaviours that limit inter-group contact, social mobility and situations that might lead to pathogen exposure. Our results also indicate that the positive relationship between BODS and xenophobia is robust across cultures.