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Changes in sexual disgust sensitivity during women's reproductive period
Šeda, Jan ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Landová, Eva (referee)
Disgust is one of the basic human emotions with an adaptive function, which is primarily to avoid potential transmission of pathogens. One of its components is also sexual disgust, which should serve as a protection against suboptimal sexual behaviour and help in choosing the right sexual partner. The female reproductive period is accompanied by many physiological and psychological changes, which may result in changes in the level of disgust sensitivity. The aim of this study was to track these changes in the still understudied domain of sexual disgust, particularly during pregnancy and postpartum period, but also in non-pregnant women in relation to changes during the menstrual cycle. In line with the proposed hypotheses, higher levels of sexual disgust were observed in women in the first trimester of pregnancy compared to non-pregnant, childless women, which may be related both to the protection of mother and child against possible harm, especially due to infections, or to protection against unpleasant experiences during sex, which may be caused by physical and psychological changes during pregnancy. No statistically significant differences were observed in the degree of sexual disgust in relation to the phases of the menstrual cycle. The results of the longitudinal study showed significant...
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Disgust sensitivity during pregnancy: testing the Compensatory Prophylaxis Hypothesis
Dlouhá, Daniela ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Třebická Fialová, Jitka (referee)
Disgust is an important adaptive mechanism in protection against disease. Disgust sensitivity is very variable between individuals and, according to the compensatory prophylaxis hypothesis (CPH), should be adjusted to individual's vulnerability to disease. The beginning of pregnancy is associated with a number of changes in the immune system and thus disgust sensitivity is expected to be increased. The aim of this thesis was to test the CPH in relation to longitudinal changes in disgust during pregnancy and after birth, as well as in comparison with non-pregnant control sample of women. Another aim was to observe the maladaptive role of disgust, specifically the relationship between trait anxiety and disgust. Against the set expectations, disgust was observed to increase during pregnancy in the animal reminder domain of disgust. However, the function of this domain in protection against disease has been criticized. These changes were only observed in pregnancies with a male fetus. In line with the CPH predictions, it was shown that women who reported having recent health problems also had higher disgust. Similarly, the results showed a possible protective role of mothers' increased disgust in the beginning of pregnancy, which was related to new-borns having a higher 10 minute APGAR score. When...
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Changes in disgust sensitivity associated with hormonal shifts in women - adaptive system or maladaptive response?
Dlouhá, Daniela ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Landová, Eva (referee)
Disgust (the feeling of aversion or repulsion) is based on experiencing something distasteful. As an adaptive system, it works as a protection of oneself, especially against infection by pathogens or behavior that could negatively affect one's evolutionary success. Disgust can be observed in women during times of significant hormonal changes, such as pregnancy or the luteal phase of the ovulation cycle. It was observed that these times can also be related to immunological changes, when the woman and (during pregnancy) the fetus require more intensive protection. Hormonal changes can be a sensitive time for the onset of different psychopathological disorders. These disorders are also often associated with heightened levels of disgust. Studies focusing on disgust and the onset of anxiety disorders indicate that the heightened disgust observed in pregnancy could in some cases be just the maladaptive reaction of a developing mental disorder.
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