The effect of betrayal content and traumatic experiences on mental contamination, negative emotions and self-disgust: Perpetrator or victim experience

Fear of contamination is a fear that can occur in different forms and is considered to be universal. It can be observed in different psychopathologies as well as in individuals who have not received any psychiatric diagnosis. Contamination may occur due to contact or without contact. The latter is conceptualized as mental contamination. Mental contamination often occurs as a result of a moral violation and is human-induced. Generally being betrayed and committing acts that are not considered moral can cause mental contamination. Moreover, traumatic experiences and self-disgust have also been associated with mental contamination. In this context, the aim of this study is to examine the effects of betrayal and being perpetrator or victim on four dependent variables. The study was conducted with 112 female participants studying at Hacettepe University. First, the participants were assigned to 4 different scenario conditions. After that, the participants filled in a set of scales, then listened to the scenarios modified according to the content of betrayal and the perpetrator effect, and filled in scales again. The analyses showed that there were significant positive correlations between mental contamination and all the dependent variables indicated. To examine the effects of being accused of betrayal and perpetrator effect on mental contamination, negative internal and external emotions, and situational self-disgust, 4 (scenario condition) x 2 (time) mixed design repeated measures MANOVA was conducted. As a result the scenarios led to an increase in all dependent variables. It was observed that the participants who were accused of betrayal reported the highest mental contamination, and the participants in the perpetrator position reported the highest situational self-disgust. While there was no significant difference between the scenario conditions for external negative emotions, the participants in the victim group and those not accused of betrayal reported the lowest level of internal negative emotions.