Episode 118: Do We Have a Purity Problem? (with David Pizarro)

Arguably, the last 25 years of moral psychology have been about people's judgments of "purity violations"--ostensibly harmless acts that "are disgusting or degrading to one’s spiritual nature." From sex with (dead) chickens to pet-eating to baby Jesus buttplugs, moral psychologists have been fascinated by purity transgressions. Moral psychologist and purity expert David Pizarro joins the show to talk about the concept of purity and recent critiques arguing that it's a concept too broad to be useful. Along the way, we also discuss how often to shower, getting into bed in your outside clothes, and ritualistically washing your dad's feet.

Special Guest: David Pizarro.

Links:

• How disgust affects social judgments - ScienceDirect
• The Problem of Purity in Moral Psychology - Kurt Gray, Nicholas DiMaggio, Chelsea Schein, Frank Kachanoff, 2023
• Two Psychologists Four Beers Episode 90: Freelance Kinkology (with Aella)
• Very Bad Wizards podcast