Psychological Science Faculty Publications and Presentations
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-2012
Abstract
This study examined ethnic and gender differences and ethnicity by gender interactions in disgust propensity, spider and snake phobic distress, and their interrelationships. A main effect for ethnicity was found, with Asian Americans (n = 219) reporting more disgust propensity and phobic distress than European Americans (n = 581). Gender effects were modified by ethnicity by gender interactions, with European American males reporting the least disgust propensity and distress, and gender differences present only for European Americans. For both ethnic groups, phobic distress scores were strongly correlated with animal and non-animal disgust propensity. In hierarchical regression analyses, animal disgust propensity was uniquely related to spider and snake distress scores among both ethnic groups, although non-animal disgust propensity was only a significant individual predictor among European Americans. The results suggest that models of animal phobia and disgust propensity based on European American samples cannot be uniformly applied to Asian Americans. Ethnicity and gender, and their interaction, may influence the intensity of disgust propensity and animal phobic distress and their relationships with one another.
Recommended Citation
Vernon, L. L., & Hirai, M. (2012). Considering Ethnicity and Gender Effects in Disgust Propensity and Spider and Snake Phobia: Comparing Asian Americans and European Americans. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 409–422. https://doi.org/10.5127/jep.015911
First Page
409
Last Page
422
Publication Title
Journal of Experimental Psychopathology
DOI
10.5127/jep.015911
Comments
© 2012 Textrum Ltd. Original published version available at https://doi.org/10.5127/jep.015911