disgusto

Disgusto, the Spanish term for disgust, is a negative affective state characterized by revulsion toward stimuli perceived as contaminated, decayed, morally offensive, or otherwise aversive. Common elicitors include spoiled or decaying food, bodily fluids, waste, insects, or gross sensory experiences, but the emotion also encompasses moral disgust—disapproval of acts that violate social norms or ethical codes.

From an evolutionary perspective, disgust helps prevent disease and contamination by promoting avoidance of potentially harmful substances. Subjectively, it is often accompanied by nausea, a burning sensation in the mouth or throat, and a facial expression that involves wrinkling the nose and raising the upper lip. Physiological responses can include reduced salivation, increased heart rate, and gagging in more aversive situations.

Neuroscientific research links disgust to the insular cortex, particularly the anterior insula, and to networks involving the basal ganglia, orbitofrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate. The emotion is believed to be a basic one, present across many cultures, but the specific triggers vary. Moral disgust, an extension of the basic emotion, arises from perceived violations of social norms and can influence judgments, political opinions, and condemnation of others.

Assessment of disgust uses scales such as the Disgust Scale and its revisions, which measure disgust propensity and sensitivity. Cross-cultural studies show both universal elements and cultural variation in disgust elicitors. In daily language, disgusto often translates as disgust or revulsion, and in some contexts as moral outrage.