Behavioral Immune System

I suggest looking at trypophobia here <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Trypophobia" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Trypophobia</a> (PLEASE DON&#x27;T GOOGLE THAT BEFORE YOU KNOW WHAT&#x27;S THAT).<p>Only in the last decade it was identified and classified as a different reaction than fear and disgust. It is theorized that we have it to protect us against skin parasites (pathogens, insects) - and hence the skin shivers. See &quot;Skin-transmitted pathogens and the heebie jeebies: evidence for a subclass of disgust stimuli that evoke a qualitatively unique emotional response&quot; <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;sci-hub.tw&#x2F;https:&#x2F;&#x2F;doi.org&#x2F;10.1080&#x2F;02699931.2016.1202199" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;sci-hub.tw&#x2F;https:&#x2F;&#x2F;doi.org&#x2F;10.1080&#x2F;02699931.2016.120...</a> for a nice overview.

&gt; One study found that the mere visual perception of diseased-looking people stimulated white blood cells to respond more aggressively to infection (as indicated by the production of the proinflammatory cytokine Interleukin 6 in response to a bacterial stimulus).<p>I wonder if this is also why many people perhaps showed nocebo effects (<a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Nocebo" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Nocebo</a>) at the onset of the covid19 crisis &amp; the many disturbing images (especially from Italy) being shown in the media.

I wonder if this explains why people forced to work in open plan offfices become less sociable? It’s well documented how illnesses travel in open plans.

I found the xenophobia thing quite interesting : &quot;In addition, the behavioral immune system appears to contribute to xenophobia and ethnocentrism. One implication is that these prejudices tend to be exaggerated under conditions in which people feel especially vulnerable to the potential transmission of infectious diseases.&quot;<p>I wonder if we&#x27;ll see a rise in xenophobia, and consequent long-term shifts in government policy, due to COVID-19?

The wikipedia article mentions xenophobia but I think things like OCD&#x2F;anorexia would be quite interesting in this context.

This is also very interesting: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Defence_mechanism" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;en.wikipedia.org&#x2F;wiki&#x2F;Defence_mechanism</a>

I wonder if this somewhat “explains” the awkward silences of strangers in confined spaces such as elevators.<p>Fascinating theory.

Serotonin and vasopressin truly mediate the immune system in all sorts of ways.