Olfaction and Disgust: Sensory and Affective Processes to Avoid Disease

In the present chapter, I will focus on how the emotion of disgust and the sense of olfaction play a crucial role in avoiding disease. I will then narrow my review on the research into disgust and olfaction in two domains that might be relevant to the disease avoidance hypothesis: gender differences and sexual behaviour, with consideration of differences related to aging. A particular focus will be directed onto the relationship between disgust and olfaction in sexual behaviour, because it is a behaviour where the motivation to avoid diseases must be balanced with the motivation to reproduce. I will then discuss some of the remaining gaps in the literature and how they might be filled in future research, with special attention to measurement issues.