That's Disgusting: Unraveling The Mysteries Of Repulsion

Author: Rachel Herz

Stock information

General Fields

  • : $38.95 AUD
  • : 9780393076479
  • : W. W. Norton & Company, Incorporated
  • : WW Norton & Co
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  • : 0.464
  • : February 2012
  • : 239mm X 157mm X 25mm
  • : United States
  • : 32.95
  • : March 2012
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  • : books

Special Fields

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  • :
  • : Rachel Herz
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  • : Hardback
  • :
  • :
  • : English
  • : 152.4
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  • :
  • : 274
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  • : 9 illustrations
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Barcode 9780393076479
9780393076479

Description

An entertaining and revealing look at the science behind the emotion of disgust.

That's Disgusting looks at the science behind disgust: how it develops, why it varies among people and cultures, and how it influences our behavior. As it turns out, disgust â a uniquely human emotion â underlies more of human nature than we might realize, from our fear of death, to the lure of horror movies, to the fact that our view of other cultures is very much shaped by what they eat. Along the way, Brown psychologist Rachel Herz touches on such colorful topics as cannibalism, sexual deviance, and the role of disgust in moral codes and criminal punishment. What sets this book apart is that Herz moves effortlessly from these engaging discussions to larger questions. What matters more: our brain wiring or our upbringing? Is there such a thing as 'normal'? And how might politicians and marketers use disgust to manipulate us? Drawing on experiments and theories in neuroscience, evolution, and psychology, Herz reveals that disgust is a fascinating, multifaceted emotion with a surprisingly strong influence on society, culture, and even our everyday lives.

Reviews

...[Herz] manages it quite admirably: to be vivid and true to her subject without getting so revolting that her readers react the way we react to anything that disgusts us, which is by trying to get as far away as possible. - Robin Marantz Henig, author of "Pandora's baby: How the First Test Tube Babies Sparked the Reproductive Revolution"

Author description

Rachel Herz teaches at Brown University. She is the author of The Scent of Desire and regularly consults on the psychology of smell for multinational companies and as an expert witness.