Some experiences lurk with surprising persistence, especially those that tickle our senses in a less pleasant way. Stepping on dog excrement, ingesting spoiled food, finding yourself downwind of a garbage truck: these are episodes that, unfortunately, many of us have experienced and remain in our memories longer.
Science offers us an explanation for this phenomenon, suggesting that disgusting experiences are imprinted in our minds with more details relating to smells, tastes and tactile sensations rather than scary or morally questionable ones.
This fact could represent a form of evolutionary adaptation, useful for our survival, as it helps us avoid potentially dangerous situations for our health. Disgust, therefore, emerges not only as a simple emotional reaction but as a sophisticated defense mechanism that exploits our most intimate senses – touch, taste and smell – to keep direct threats to our physical integrity at bay.
Through a study in which participants were asked to tell disgusting stories, from the most notable episodes to the last experiences, and to evaluate the role of the senses in memorizing these experiences, it emerged that disgusting experiences are in fact more closely linked to the proximal senses. This contrasts with morally repugnant or frightening experiences, which tend to be remembered more through distal senses, such as sight and hearing.
The research, published on Royal Society Open Science, not only sheds light on how we perceive and store negative experiences but also opens a window into our most intimate sensory reactions. Speaking of which: why does music bring back memories?
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