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The behavioral immune system and conservative attitudes

May 15, 2013

The behavioral immune system is the first line of defense against potentially contagious diseases, before the physiological immune system. A cluster of psychological mechanisms avoids contact with contaminants: disgusting taste (e. g. sour milk), foul smell (garbage), aversive sounds (clearing throat), ugly sights (vomit), and sticky substance on fingers. This cluster was formed in our evolutionary past when groups of humans lived relatively isolated and contact with out-groups raised the chances of contact with contagious diseases which were new for the physiological immune system.

The behavioral immune system differs in strength between individuals. As an evolutionary heritage it shows clear relations with political attitudes, as US-American researchers report in the recent issue of Evolution and Human Behavior. The stronger a person’s behavioral immune system is (fear of contamination, disgust sensitivity), the stronger are conservative attitudes, like right-wing conservatism, religious fundamentalism, and ethnocentrism. (Terrizzi, J. A. Jr., et al. (2013). The behavioral immune system and social conservatism: a meta-analysis. Evolution and Human Behavior, 34, 99 108).

Paternity discrepancy 10%?

February 13, 2013

It has been reported for a long time that about 10%  of all putative fathers are not the biological fathers. I have had my doubts that such a high prevalence is general. However, no good data has been available in Germany. However, researchers from the University of Duesseldorf  (M. Wolf et al. (2012) Estimating the prevalence of nonpaternity in Germany. Human Nature, 23, 208-217) could recently and convincingly show that the prevalence in Germany these days is below 1%. These results are comparable with those from England and Switzerland.

The 10% cuckold children is a modern myths which originated in the 1950s and  has been reported in the yellow press, but also in scientific publications. The prevalence of paternity discrepancy was possibly higher than 1%  in earlier times. These days fathers ought to have less doubt whether they are the real biological father. Even if they have doubts about the fidelity of their partners at the time of conceptions, in most cases it turns out that they are the biological father nevertheless.