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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science pp 1–6Cite as

Sexual Contact and Sexual Disgust

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Synonyms

Sexual aversions; Sexual avoidance; Sexual preferences

Definition

Sexual disgust is an emotion that functions to motivate individuals to avoid the pursuit or acceptance of fitness-compromising sexual behaviors.

Introduction

Sexual reproduction likely evolved because, relative to asexual reproduction, it produces offspring that are better equipped for battle in arms races against pathogens (Ridley 1993). In light of its evolutionary history, the fact that sexual intercourse can result in genital warts, herpes, chlamydia, and HIV (among other infectious diseases) can seem like a humorous counterattack from pathogens. Of course, the pathogens transmitted sexually are not necessarily the same ones that would benefit from a pool of genetically homogenous hosts; specific viruses and bacteria (along with other critters) have evolved to occupy a niche in the ecological space created by reliable genital-to-genital contact between conspecifics. These sexually transmitted pathogens –...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, VU Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Joshua M. Tybur

Authors
  1. Joshua M. Tybur
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joshua M. Tybur .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oakland Univ Dept of Psycholgy, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Viviana Weekes-Shackelford

  2. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  3. Rochester, Michigan, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

    Justin H. Park

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing AG

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Tybur, J.M. (2016). Sexual Contact and Sexual Disgust. In: Weekes-Shackelford, V., Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2981-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_2981-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

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