Avoidance Of Cues Research Articles

What people believe about detecting infectious disease using the senses

Do you believe you can tell if people are sick with infectious diseases by looking at, listening to, or smelling them? Research on pathogen detection and avoidance suggests that perceivers respond with caution both to true signs of infection and to cues only heuristically associated with infection threat. But what do perceivers actually believe about the effectiveness and use of specific sensory modalities for infection detection? In several studies, U.S. participants reported perceptions of effectiveness and likelihood of using each of the major senses to identify infection threat in two types of targets: people and food. Results revealed prioritization of sight and sound with person targets and prioritization of sight and smell with food targets. These patterns appear consistent with the use of “safe senses” (avoidance of cues involving high perceived transmission risk). Beliefs about sensory use also varied depending on the specific feature being examined, with different patterns of sensory beliefs associated with evaluation of pathogenic danger than with evaluation of desirability and fit with normative standards. We discuss these lay beliefs in the context of recent calls for descriptive research in psychology as well as their implications for current and future work on the behavioral immune system.

Choosing to Avoid? A Conjoint Experimental Study to Understand Selective Exposure and Avoidance on Social Media

ABSTRACT Social media platforms provide multiple affordances, which convey several cues to guide users in making decisions about which news to consume. Traditional factorial designs have failed to experimentally study the effects of multiple, simultaneous cues operating on social media. As a result, there is little consensus in the literature about their exact effects on news choice. In this study, we use a conjoint experimental design to examine how source outlet cues, message cues, and social endorsement cues shape news selectivity on Facebook. We find that people significantly avoid news items with out-party outlet and message cues. We also find that people select news based only on in-party messages cues, but this effect is smaller than the avoidance of out-party cues. Only strong partisans demonstrate a preference for news items with in-party source and message cues. Finally, we find no evidence that social endorsement affects people’s news selection behavior.

Non-consumptive effects between predators depend on the foraging mode of intraguild prey.

Predator non-consumptive effects (NCE) are a suite of phenotypic responses of prey to avoid predation that cascade down food webs and can have a stronger impact than predation itself. However, the role of NCE in intraguild interactions remains understudied. Thus, multi-species experiments based on species traits are needed to improve our understanding of the impact of NCE on community structure. We investigated NCE of ants on 17 spider species as intraguild prey (8 cursorial and 9 sedentary) to test the influence of spider hunting mode on the strength of NCE. Sedentary spiders select a habitat patch and wait for prey, whereas cursorial spiders roam around searching for prey. Because actively foraging organisms have higher encounter rates with predators, cursorial spiders should show stronger reactions to ant presence. We collected cues (footprint hydrocarbons) of the black garden ant Lasius niger on filter papers. Then, we placed spiders individually on the papers and filmed their behaviour once on a paper with cues and once on a cue-free one. We used the increase in walking activity in the presence of cues as an indicator of avoidance behaviour towards ants. Cursorial spiders spent a longer time moving and being mobile, and had a higher overall mean mobility when exposed to ant cues compared with blank filter papers, whereas sedentary spider species did not react to ant cues at all. The avoidance of ant cues by cursorial spiders corresponds to their higher risk of encountering ants compared with sedentary species, in accordance with the threat-sensitivity hypothesis. Our multi-species study shows the relevance of NCE for intraguild interactions and highlights the importance of experimental trait-based approaches to improve predictability of species interactions and the role of NCE in ecological communities.

Snowshoe hare feeding behavior responds to coyote and moose cues at diverse vegetation densities

Abstract Heterospecific competitors can use chemical cues left by dominant species to avoid aggressive interactions. Similarly, prey avoid chemical cues from predators at feeding sites, presumably because risk of death outweighs the benefit of food. This study addressed the lack of information regarding mammals’ avoidance of direct cues from competitors and also examined how indirect cues, i.e., vegetative cover, affect foraging behavior. To test if chemical cues and vegetative cover alter the number of visits by prey species and time spent at feeding plots, we observed snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) in plots containing coyote (Canis latrans; predator) and moose (Alces alces; competitor) urine across a spectrum of vegetation densities. Snowshoe hares significantly reduced number of visits to plots that contained coyote or moose urine. In plots treated with coyote urine, number of visits decreased significantly as plots became more densely vegetated. Neither chemical cues nor vegetation density affected time spent in plots. These results suggest that competition between snowshoe hares and moose has selected for an avoidance response. This study also reinforces the idea that an increase in vegetation density could prove disadvantageous to prey, perhaps because some predators use dense vegetation to their advantage.

Temporal patterns of waterhole use as a predator avoidance strategy

Abstract Animals that depend on water sources in dry environments must balance their water demands with predation risk. In settings of water scarcity, predators may strategically exploit prey’s dependence on water; prey may adjust their use of water sources either spatially or temporally to avoid overlapping with predators. To examine the spatiotemporal dynamics of predators and prey at water sources, we studied the use of semipermanent waterholes in the dry season by red-fronted lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons), a primate species that exhibits flexible circadian activity patterns and inhabits a dry deciduous forest in western Madagascar. We hypothesized that lemurs avoid predators in their spatiotemporal use of waterholes. We analyzed the patterns of camera trap activations at waterholes by red-fronted lemurs and their two main predators: fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) and Madagascar harrier hawks (Polyboroides radiatus). We found that red-fronted lemurs were unlikely to use waterholes at times of day when predators were commonly present, and that the distributions of times of waterhole use differed between red-fronted lemurs and each of their predator species. Red-fronted lemurs frequently used waterholes that were also used by predators within the same week in part because the predators used a variable set of water resources. In this system, predators did not appear to exploit waterholes for the high density of red-fronted lemurs attracted to them, but instead likely used waterholes primarily to meet their own water demands. Our findings suggest that when predators and prey share water sources, prey may adjust their behavior to reduce their risk of overlap with predators, including through avoidance of indirect cues of predation, such as waterholes at particular times of day.

Event-related and readiness potentials when preparing to approach and avoid alcohol cues following cue avoidance training in heavy drinkers

RationaleCue avoidance training (CAT) reduces alcohol consumption in the laboratory. However, the neural mechanisms that underlie the effects of this intervention are poorly understood.ObjectivesThe present study investigated the effects of a single session of CAT on event-related and readiness potentials during preparation of approach and avoidance movements to alcohol cues.MethodsHeavy drinking young adults (N = 60) were randomly assigned to complete either CAT or control training. After training, we recorded participants’ event-related and motor readiness potentials as they were preparing to respond.ResultsIn the CAT group, N200 amplitude was higher when preparing to approach rather than avoid alcohol pictures. In the control group, N200 amplitudes did not differ for approach and avoidance to alcohol pictures. Regarding the late positive potential (LPP), in the CAT group, the negativity of this was blunted when preparing to avoid alcohol pictures relative to when preparing to avoid control pictures. In the control group, the negativity of the LPP was blunted when preparing to approach alcohol pictures relative to when preparing to approach control pictures. There were no effects on motor readiness potentials. Behavioural effects indicated short-lived effects of training on reaction times during the training block that did not persist when participants were given time to prepare their motor response before executing it during the EEG testing block.ConclusionsAfter a single session of CAT, the enhanced N200 when approaching alcohol cues may indicate the engagement of executive control to overcome the associations learned during training. These findings clarify the neural mechanisms that may underlie the effects of CAT on drinking behaviour.

Communication of Hazards in Mixed-Reality Telerobotic Systems: The Usage of Naturalistic Avoidance Cues in Driving Tasks.

This study investigates the effect of naturalistic visual cues on human avoidance behavior for a potential use in telerobotic user interfaces incorporating mixed-reality environments (e.g., augmented reality). Telerobotic systems used in hazardous environments require interfaces that draw operators' attention to potential dangers. Existing means of hazard notification can often distract or induce stress in operators. In the design and implementation of such interfaces, visual semiotics plays a critical role in creating more effective interfaces. Naturalistic visual cues such as Aposematism or Kindchenschema have proven effective to communicate danger or caution in nature, but the application of these cues in visual systems have yet to be thoroughly investigated. A study was conducted where 40 volunteering participants were asked to control a remote vehicle in a simulated environment. The environment contained a set of neutral and visually augmented obstacles that were designed to provoke avoidance behavior. The use of visual cues triggered greater avoidance behaviors in participants compared to neutral obstacles. The distance of avoidance was correlated with the type of cue present, with obstacles augmented by Aposematism (Cue A) having a greater participant-obstacle distance than Kindchenschema (Cue K). This study shows the potential for the incorporation of naturalistic visual cues as a means to designate warning or caution in telerobotic environments. The findings can offer practical guidelines for the design of visual cues in telerobotic interfaces. The further incorporation of such cues may reduce operator stress and the amount of human errors in telerobotic operations.

Predation and avoidance behavior of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum confronted with native and invasive lady beetles in Europe

Invasive species are a major driver of global biodiversity loss. However, we often lack a mechanistic understanding why some non-native species become invasive. Missing coevolutionary history between invasive predators and native prey can lead to a lack of predator avoidance by native prey and consequently higher consumption rates by invasive predators. We compared predation rates of four native European lady beetle species and the invasive lady beetle species Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), using the native pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae) for prey. Here, we also quantified initial dropping of A. pisum from host plants. In an additional plant-choice experiment, we tested for aphid avoidance of plants bearing lady beetle cues. Differences in predation were determined by predator body size. Initial dropping of aphids did not differ between the invasive lady beetle species H. axyridis and the remaining native lady beetle species. However, A. pisum showed no avoidance behavior towards H. axyridis cues, but to cues of the most voracious native species. Thus, relatively large body size and missing chemical cue avoidance by aphids can benefit the invasive H. axyridis.

Ocean acidification does not impair the behaviour of coral reef fishes.

The partial pressure of CO2 in the oceans has increased rapidly over the past century, driving ocean acidification and raising concern for the stability of marine ecosystems1-3. Coral reef fishes are predicted to be especially susceptible to end-of-century ocean acidification on the basis of several high-profile papers4,5 that have reported profound behavioural and sensory impairments-for example, complete attraction to the chemical cues of predators under conditions of ocean acidification. Here, we comprehensively and transparently show that-in contrast to previous studies-end-of-century ocean acidification levels have negligible effects on important behaviours of coral reef fishes, such as the avoidance of chemical cues from predators, fish activity levels and behavioural lateralization (left-right turning preference). Using data simulations, we additionally show that the large effect sizes and small within-group variances that have been reported in several previous studies are highly improbable. Together, our findings indicate that the reported effects of ocean acidification on the behaviour of coral reef fishes are not reproducible, suggesting that behavioural perturbations will not be a major consequence for coral reef fishes in high CO2 oceans.

Disgust regulation between menstrual cycle phases: Differential effects of emotional suppression and reappraisal

Background and objectiveImmunosuppression is characteristic of the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and is accompanied by an adaptive disgust response to reduce contact with pathogens. However, research has not examined the effects of emotion regulation on disgust during the menstrual cycle. Accordingly, the present study examines the effect of suppression and reappraisal on disgust during the luteal and follicular phases of the menstrual cycle. MethodMenstrual cycle phase was estimated in a sample of naturally cycling women (n = 73), and those in the follicular or luteal phase were assigned to suppress or reappraise disgust while watching a disgust-inducing video. Physiological arousal during the video and avoidance of disgust cues in a public restroom after the video were also assessed. ResultsNo differences were observed in self-reported disgust to the video between those who suppressed and those who reappraised in the luteal phase. However, women in the follicular phase who suppressed reported less disgust than those who reappraised. The emotion regulation strategies did not influence physiology during the video or avoidance after the video as a function of menstrual cycle phase. LimitationsHormone assay data was not collected to confirm menstrual cycle phase and a relatively small sample of naturally cycling women was used. ConclusionsSuppression may be a more effective strategy than reappraisal for reducing verbal disgust in the follicular phase but not in the luteal phase. The implications of these findings for the treatment of disgust-based disorders among women are discussed.

Lassitude: The emotion of being sick

Abstract Our long co-evolutionary history with infectious agents likely began soon after the rise of the first single-celled organisms. This ongoing evolutionary arms race has generated complex host adaptations, many highly conserved, for resisting infection (e.g., innate and acquired immune systems, infection-sensitive developmental programs, sexual reproduction). A large body of evidence suggests that, in humans, pathogen-avoidance disgust is an emotion that motivates avoidance of cues associated with pathogens, thereby reducing infection. However, the question of whether there is an emotion that coordinates resistance to active infection has received less attention. We propose that lassitude is such an emotion. It is triggered by cues of active infection and coordinates the fight against infection by: (a) reducing energetically expensive movement to make more energy available to the immune system, (b) reducing exposure to additional infections and injuries that would compound the immune system's workload, (c) promoting thermoregulatory behaviors that facilitate immunity, (d) regulating food consumption to be beneficial for the host but detrimental to pathogens, and (e) deploying strategies that elicit caregiving behavior from social allies. Lassitude exhibits the core features of an emotion – it is triggered by cues of an adaptive problem (i.e., infection), generates a characteristic facial expression (e.g., slack facial muscles, drooping eyelids, slightly parted lips), and has distinct qualia (e.g., profound tiredness, reduced appetite, feelings of vulnerability, altered temperature perception, increased pain sensitivity). We outline the information-processing structure of lassitude, review existing evidence, suggest directions for future research, and discuss implications of lassitude for models of human evolution.

Ant–hemipteran association decreases parasitism of Phenacoccus solenopsis by endoparasitoid Aenasius bambawalei

1. Mutualism between ants and honeydew‐excreting hemipterans is ubiquitous in the ecosystem. It is widely accepted that ant tending facilitates the colony growth of hemipterans by protecting them from predators and parasitoids. However, few studies have explored how ant tending helps defend against natural enemies.2. Ghost ant Tapinoma melanocephalum and the invasive mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis have a close mutual relationship. Previous studies have shown that ghost ant tending can definitely reduce parasitism and visit frequency of Aenasius bambawalei, the dominant endoparasitoid of P. solenopsis. However, the ghost ant workers seldom attack the parasitoids. It is still unclear how the ghost ant adversely affects parasitoids. This study explored the mechanism underlying the impacts of ants on natural enemies of the mealybugs.3. Honeydew produced by P. solenopsis was an attractant to A. bambawalei. Parasitoids exhibited less searching activity, shorter longevity and lower parasitism when supplied with less honeydew. Aenasius bambawalei showed significant avoidance of pygidial gland secretions and visual cues of ghost ants. Parasitism in plants treated with 6‐methyl‐5‐hepten‐2‐one, actinidine, and gland extracts was significantly lower than that in plants treated only with solvents (paraffin oil or double‐distilled water).4. It is concluded that honeydew consumption by ghost ants could negatively influence the performance of parasitoids. The pygidial gland secretions and visual cues of ghost ants also significantly inhibit the parasitism. These results may contribute to a better understanding of the regulation mechanism in ant–hemipteran–enemy interactions.

Attentional bias and its temporal dynamics among war veterans suffering from chronic pain: Investigating the contribution of post-traumatic stress symptoms

BackgroundCognitive models propose that attentional dysregulation, including an attentional bias towards threat, is one of the factors through which chronic pain and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) maintain and exacerbate one another. The current investigation assessed the attentional bias for painful facial expressions and its relationship with PTSS, using both traditional and variability-based attentional bias measures, among veterans with chronic pain and PTSS and controls. MethodFifty-four veterans with chronic pain and 30 age/education-matched controls participated in this investigation. Participants completed a self-report measure of PTSS and a modified version of the dot-probe task with painful, happy, and neutral facial expressions. Attention was assessed using both traditional and variability-based reaction time measures of attentional bias. ResultsVeterans directed attention away from painful facial expressions (i.e., avoidance) relative to both the control group (between-subject effect) and relative to neutral faces (within-subject effect). Veterans also showed significantly elevated attentional bias variability for both happy and painful facial expressions compared to controls. Attentional bias variability for happy and painful facial expressions was correlated with PTSS among all participants. ConclusionVeterans with chronic pain and PTSS avoided pain-related stimuli and displayed an overall attentional dysregulation for emotional facial expressions. Avoidance of pain cues may be a coping strategy that these individuals develop under stressful conditions. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.

Plant-Based Natural Product Chemistry for Integrated Pest Management of Drosophila suzukii

Since the first reports of damage by Drosophila suzukii, the spotted-wing Drosophila (SWD), over a decade ago in Europe, widespread efforts have been made to understand both the ecology and the evolution of this insect pest, especially due to its phylogenetic proximity to one of the original model organisms, D. melanogaster. In addition, researchers have sought to find economically viable solutions for the monitoring and management of this agricultural pest, which has now swept across much of Europe, North America and Asia. In a new direction of study, we present an investigation of plant-based chemistry, where we search for natural compounds that are structurally similar to known olfactory cues from parasitoid wasps that in turn are well-described ovipositional avoidance cues for many Drosophila species. Here we test 11 plant species across two plant genera, Nepeta and Actinidia, and while we find iridoid compounds in both, only those odorants from Actinidia are noted to be detected by the insect antenna, and in addition, found to be behaviorally active. Moreover, the Actinidia extracts resulted in oviposition avoidance when they were added to fruit samples in the laboratory. Thus we propose the possible efficacy of these plants or their extracted chemistry as a novel means for establishing a cost-effective integrated pest management strategy towards the control of this pest fly.

High background risk induces risk allocation rather than generalized neophobia in the fathead minnow

AbstractTo cope with the heterogeneous nature of predation and the trade-off between predator avoidance and foraging, prey animals have evolved several cognitive rules. One of these is the risk allocation hypothesis, which predicts that in environments with long periods of sustained high risk, individuals should decrease their antipredator effort to satisfy their metabolic requirements. The neophobia hypothesis, in turn, predicts increased avoidance of novel cues in high-risk habitats. Despite the recent interest in predator-induced neophobia across different sensory channels, tests of such generalized neophobia are restricted to a single fish taxon, the Cichlidae. Hence, we retested the generalized neophobia hypothesis in fathead minnows Pimephales promelas, a small schooling North American cyprinid fish. From hatching onward, minnows were exposed to conspecific alarm cues, which indicate predation risk, or distilled water in a split-clutch design. After 1 month, shoaling behavior was examined prior and subsequent to a mechanical predator disturbance. Fish previously exposed to elevated background risk formed compact shoals for a shorter time interval after the stimulus compared with controls. These results contrast previous studies of generalized neophobia but match the risk allocation hypothesis. Consequently, risk allocation and generalized neophobia are not ubiquitous cognitive rules but instead evolved adaptations of different taxa to their respective environments.

Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 functional alterations provide vulnerability to develop behavioral and molecular features of post-traumatic stress disorder in male mice

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder characterized by symptoms of persistent anxiety arising after exposure to traumatic events. Stress susceptibility due to a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors plays a major role in the disease etiology, although biological underpinnings have not been clarified. We hypothesized that aberrant functionality of the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MECP2), a master regulator of experience-dependent epigenetic programming, confers susceptibility to develop PTSD-like symptomatology in the aftermath of traumatic events. Transgenic male mice expressing a truncated form of MeCP2 protein (MeCP2-308) were exposed at adulthood to a trauma in the form of high-intensity footshocks. The presence and duration of PTSD-like symptoms were assessed and compared to those of trauma-exposed wild type littermates and MeCP2-308 mice subjected to a mild stressor. The effects of fluoxetine, a prime pharmacological PTSD treatment, on PTSD-like symptomatology were also explored. Trauma-exposed MeCP2-308 mice showed long-lasting hyperresponsiveness to both correct and incorrect predictors of the trauma and persistent increased avoidance of trauma-related cues. Traumatized MeCP2-308 mice also displayed abnormal post-traumatic plasma levels of the stress hormone corticosterone and altered peripheral gene expression mirroring that of PTSD patients. Fluoxetine improved PTSD-like symptoms in trauma-exposed MeCP2-308 mice. These findings provide evidence that MeCP2 dysfunction results in increased susceptibility to develop PTSD-like symptoms after trauma exposure, and identify trauma-exposed MeCP2-308 mice as a new tool to investigate the underpinnings of PTSD vulnerability.

Shade avoidance cues reduceBeta vulgarisgrowth

AbstractField and greenhouse experiments were conducted from 2013 to 2015 at the University of Wyoming to evaluate the response ofBeta vulgaris(L.) to reflected-light quality. Large-pail field studies included a factorial arrangement of three varieties ofB. vulgaris(sugar beet, table beet, and Swiss chard) and reflected-light treatments (using either colored plastic mulch, grass, or bare-soil controls). Greenhouse studies included sugar beet as influenced by either grass or soil surroundings. In all studies, grass was grown in separate containers fromB. vulgaris, so there was no root interaction. Grass was clipped regularly to prevent shading and competition for sunlight. Reflected light from different-colored plastic mulches (red, blue, green, black, clear) did not affectB. vulgarisgrowth. However, reflected light from the grass reduced the number of leaves in allB. vulgarisvarieties such that there were 10 to 14 fewer leaves inB. vulgarissurrounded by grass compared with the soil treatment at 90 d after planting in the field study. Shade avoidance cues from surrounding grass reducedB. vulgaristotal leaf area by 49% to 66%, leaf biomass by 21% to 30%, and root biomass by 70% to 72%. Similar results were observed in greenhouse experiments, where the grass treatment reduced sugar beet leaf biomass by 48% to 57% and root biomass by 35% to 64%. Shade avoidance cues have the potential to significantly reduceB. vulgarisyield, even in the absence of direct resource competition from weeds.

Terrestrial slugs (Mollusca: Gastropoda) share common anti‐predator defence mechanisms but their expression differs among species

AbstractPredation is a key selective force in the evolution and maintenance of multiple traits in prey animals. Terrestrial slugs (Mollusca: Gastropoda) are an interesting group in which to study anti‐predator behaviour because few predators are mollusc‐specialists. Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae), however, are important slug predators and slugs appear to possess general defences when carabids are encountered. Slugs may avoid areas recently visited by carabids (primary defence) or, when attacked, exude highly viscous mucus (secondary defence). Slugs are, however, a polyphyletic group which are present in diverse habitats with varying predation risk. We examined whether avoidance of cues from Pterostichus niger, a generalist carabid predator, is a primary defence shared by a number of slug species from different taxonomic families representing varying degrees of ecological specialization and found, for the first time, that multiple slug species appear to exhibit a general avoidance of carabid scents. Additionally, we examined whether mucus chemistry is altered in response to predation attempts, and whether this is a secondary defence common to multiple species. We found that calcium, a vital element for molluscs, is secreted in greater amounts when slugs are attacked. Choice experiments with P. niger demonstrated that calcium did not affect beetle feeding behaviour but that high‐viscosity gel deterred feeding. We discuss how calcium secretion may contribute to mucus viscosity and represent an effective secondary defence mechanism common to slugs. Results from no‐choice feeding trials suggest that carabid beetles may prevent slugs from exuding defensive mucus by attacking the mantle region. Overall, we show that slugs share common primary and secondary defences but that their expression varies among species, possibly reflecting the natural risk of predation experienced by each slug species. Additionally, some species‐specific anti‐predator traits were observed which cannot be explained as responses to carabids alone, highlighting the importance of considering multiple predators when interpreting anti‐predator behaviour in prey animals.

Sensitivity to Deviance and to Dissimilarity: Basic Cognitive Processes Under Activation of the Behavioral Immune System.

Throughout evolutionary history, pathogens have imposed strong selection pressures on humans. To minimize humans' exposure to pathogens, a behavioral immune system that promotes the detection and avoidance of disease-connoting cues has evolved. Although most pathogens cannot be discerned by our sensory organs, they produce discernable changes in their environment. As a result, a common denominator of many disease-connoting cues is morphological deviance-figurative disparity from what is normal, visual dissimilarity to the prototype stored in memory. Drawing on an evolutionary rationale, we examine the hypothesis that activation of the behavioral immune system renders people more sensitive to morphological deviance and more prone to perceive dissimilarities between stimuli. In Study 1 ( N = 343), participants who scored higher on disgust sensitivity demonstrated greater differentiation between normal and disfigured faces, reflecting greater sensitivity to morphological deviance in the bodily domain. In Study 2 ( N = 109), participants who were primed with pathogen threat demonstrated greater differentiation between perfect and imperfect geometrical shapes, reflecting greater sensitivity to morphological deviance even in stimuli that have nothing to do with health or disease. In Study 3 ( N = 621), participants who scored higher on disgust sensitivity perceived pairs of neutral pictures as less similar (i.e., more dissimilar) to each other. Literature on the relations to social deviance and implications for social perception and for social behavior is discussed.

056 Inflammation May Alter Perception of Sexual Arousal and Pleasure in Healthy Women

To test if sexual arousal and pleasure (that is, the rewarding affective and cognitive responses to sexual activity) may be differentially impacted by disease cues during ovulation. There is increasing evidence that activation of the immune system can change behavior and cognition in ways that are though to mitigate disease risk, a phenomenon called “behavioral immunity.” For example, individuals who are in a vulnerable immune state (e.g. pregnancy, recent illness) report significantly higher disgust and avoidance of disease cues than non-vulnerable individuals. Recent studies have suggested that ovulation may be such a vulnerable immune state, as the female body temporarily suppresses some aspects of immune response to avoid accidentally rejecting sperm and/or conceptuses. We examined immune activity, and sexual arousal and pleasure in 18 healthy, sexually active women. Participants provided blood samples at menses and at ovulation (confirmed via urine tests for luteinizing hormone); from these, we determined levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of systemic inflammation. Participants also completed diary measures of self-reported sexual arousal and pleasure following each partnered sexual event; these were averaged across the menstrual phase in which they were reported.