Is it possible that the behavioral immune system is responsible for racial prejudices and events of violence and hate around the world as one of the symptoms of Corona
At this time in the history, it is necessary to avoid sick patients. By limiting close contact with others and wearing masks in quarantine will prevent many unnecessary deaths, but avoiding people who could be potential disease vectors can also have a cost. Healthy forms of social distancing to giving way to forms of social marginalization may also have a cost. .
Scientists previously found evidence that humans possess "behavioral immune systems," which can provide the first line of defense for our biological immune systems. Since we tend to experience lonely emotions such as disgust when we are about to come into contact with disease-infested substances, we can prevent our bodies from having to mount consistent immune responses against countless diseases by avoiding harmful bacteria and viruses, being equipped with a tendency to avoid potential sources of pathogens. It is a very adaptive component of human psychology.
However, the behavioral immune system does have some unpleasant qualities. Because pathogens and parasites are so small that our senses cannot directly detect them, we must rely on indirect signals for their presence. And because it's best to be safe when it comes to disease, our behavioral immune systems seem to be tailored to this response, which means we often make mistakes about what to avoid. For example: We may be prepared to avoid homeless people and people with facial abnormalities, even if they are actually healthy and harmless.
A body of research has shown that our behavioral immune systems increase our tendency to diminish people who look different from us. For example: People of other races. New laboratory research, recently published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, has contributed evidence that children and adults have biases against patients and bodily dirt that go beyond mere avoidance tendencies.
In our studies, children and adults from the United States and India were less likely to trust information provided by people who were sick or unclean. Furthermore, our participants judged those who were sick or inferior as more rational, more greedy, lazy, less intelligent, less brave, and less like a friendship. These prejudices emerged against people who were physically dirty and sick at the age of five. All of these signs indicate that increased anxiety over the new coronavirus may contribute to the increase in manifestations of prejudice.
Especially since people of color have been disproportionately infected before (COVID-19), it appears likely that prejudice and discrimination has doubled in recent weeks, in part due to a chronic regulatory increase in behavioral immune systems. There are clearly many factors that contributed to the untold tragic murders of George Floyd and Bruna Taylor, and many others.
Racial prejudices and police brutality predated the emergence of (COVID-19), of course, but the coronavirus has likely pushed them further. It is more plausible that the behavioral immune system is partly responsible for other recent manifestations of xenophobia and elevated prejudices between groups.
Asian Americans have been attacked and shamed by the so-called “Chinese virus”. National borders became increasingly impermeable, and many Latin Americans were denied entry to the United States even though they desperately needed asylum. Older adults, who often age, may be treated with increasing neglect. We must definitely continue to avoid filth and germs.
We must do our best to stay away from the sick while they remain infectious. But we must also ensure that we do so without allowing malicious and unjustified social biases to contaminate our interactions with others, especially marginalized members of society. It is time for all of us to extend our compassion more than ever, not to block it.
Human instincts are fascinating