The Impact of City Animal and Plant Raising on People's Level of Disgust towards Ants and Yellow Jackets

Abstract Studies have shown that urban life and less contact with nature can increase disgust towards insects and gardening reduces the level of disgust towards them. Since animals and plants are part of nature, our hypothesis in this research was that keeping animals and plants in the city is somehow contact with nature and has an effect on reducing disgust towards insects. To test this hypothesis, a questionnaire was distributed to 1092 people randomly in Kabul city. The level of disgust against ants and yellow jackets among those who raise animals and plants is lower than that of those who do not. The reasons for disgusting ants and yellow jackets included fear, contamination, appearance, lack of interaction, and unfamiliarity, and they were different between those who raise animals and plants and those who do not. The motivation to destroy ants and yellow jackets was higher among those who do not raise animals and plants. On the other side, there is a strong association between level of disgust and reaction against yellow jackets and ants. These findings show that raising animals and plants in the city can reduce the level of disgust against insects which supports their conservation. To reduce the disgust towards insects, we suggest encouraging the keeping of animals and plants in the city, and a decrease in the level of disgust will reduce a strong reaction (like killing) towards them. For more clarification, research is needed on the effects of different types of raising animals and plants.