Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026

A Method for Manipulating Blood Glucose and Measuring Resulting Changes in Cognitive Accessibility of Target Stimuli
Published on: August 12, 2016
Disgust, contempt, and anger and the stereotypes of obese people
Lenny R Vartanian1, Margaret A Thomas, Eric J Vanman
1School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia, lvartanian@psy.unsw.edu.au.
Purpose:
Emotions form an important part of stereotyping and prejudice, but little is known about how intergroup emotions are associated with anti-fat prejudice. This study examined the relation between negative intergroup emotions (disgust, contempt, and anger) and the stereotypes of obese people.
Method:
A community sample (n = 380) and an undergraduate sample (n = 96) rated obese people on common obesity stereotypes (e.g., lazy, sloppy), and also indicated the extent to which they felt disgust, contempt, and anger toward obese people.
Results:
In both samples, participants reported feeling more disgust and contempt than anger toward obese people. Furthermore, regression analyses indicated that disgust was a significant positive predictor of obesity stereotypes, but contempt and anger were not.
Conclusion:
Overall, these findings provide further evidence that disgust plays an important role in prejudice toward obese people.
Related Concept Videos
Stereotype Content Model
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Obesity
Anorexia Nervosa
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Bulimia Nervosa
Binge Eating Disorders

