Background. The outbreak of COVID-19 at the end of 2019 has led to a rise in xenophobic attitudes – a fear that foreigners may be the source of the virus. One important mechanism involved in the...Show moreBackground. The outbreak of COVID-19 at the end of 2019 has led to a rise in xenophobic attitudes – a fear that foreigners may be the source of the virus. One important mechanism involved in the rise of xenophobic attitudes is the behavioural immune system, an evolutionary addition to our physiological immune system which helps us to proactively avoid sources of disease. This system mainly works via the emotion disgust and has been found to be influenced by one’s perceived vulnerability to disease. The present study investigated whether perceived vulnerability to disease moderates the association between disgust sensitivity and COVID-19 related xenophobic attitudes. Methods. The research question was investigated by administering three questionnaires to a convenience sample as part of a bigger online survey. Results. While disgust sensitivity was associated with xenophobic attitudes, perceived vulnerability to disease was not associated with xenophobic attitudes and also did not moderate the association between the other two variables (perceived infectibility*disgust sensitivity: b = , t = 1.23, with p = .219). Discussion. The non-significant moderation may be the result of habituation. While the behavioural immune system may respond particularly strong in a context where vulnerability to disease is high, this may change if a disease context is present for too long. In that case, the behavioural immune system may become habituated to the situation and may therefore no longer be influenced by one’s perceived vulnerability to disease. Accordingly, the present study adds a nuance to the existing literature on the behavioural immune system.Show less
