Ideas change everything

How disgust drives your politics

351,513 plays|

Cindy Kam |

TEDxNashville

• August 2024

Would you eat a bug? How about fine-crafted chocolate — shaped like poo? Your answer depends on both your disgust at the prospect and whether you choose to act on that emotion, says political psychologist Cindy Kam. She dives into how the feeling of disgust — whether motivated by real or imagined contamination — can connect or divide us, from everyday decisions to political alliances.

Would you eat a bug? How about fine-crafted chocolate — shaped like poo? Your answer depends on both your disgust at the prospect and whether you choose to act on that emotion, says political psychologist Cindy Kam. She dives into how the feeling of disgust — whether motivated by real or imagined contamination — can connect or divide us, from everyday decisions to political alliances.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxNashville, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Read Cindy's co-authored article about Americans' differing views on COVID-19, Ebola and Zika.

Take the food disgust test to learn about your own level of disgust sensitivity.

About the speaker

Political psychologist

See speaker profile

About TEDx

TEDx was created in the spirit of TED's mission, "ideas worth spreading." It supports independent organizers who want to create a TED-like event in their own community.

Find a TEDx event near you

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxNashville, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Read Cindy's co-authored article about Americans' differing views on COVID-19, Ebola and Zika.

Take the food disgust test to learn about your own level of disgust sensitivity.