Disgust Definition Although there is much dispute about exactly what emotions are, everyone, starting with Charles Darwin in the 19th century, agrees that disgust is one of them. Disgust is almost always considered a basic emotion, often along with anger, fear, sadness, happiness, and surprise. Basic emotions, as defined most clearly by the psychologist Paul
Disgust has been described as an evolutionarily important emotion. According to Darwin, the function of disgust is to prevent orally ingesting contaminants or other biologically harmful substances. There are characteristic reactions associated with disgust, including physical (such as nausea), psychophysiological (muscle tension around the nose and mouth, reduction of vascular tension), and behavioral (typically avoidance).