#Disgusted: Identifying potential sub-factors of Moral Disgust through Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Tweets

Abstract

Social media provides an untapped resource for exploring Moral Disgust. We therefore drew on ‘tweets’ about Moral Disgust (k=526) to better conceptualise the situations, people, and concepts users found Disgusting. Our Reflexive Thematic Analysis identified two themes and accompanying subthemes: Hierarchical Disgust and Third-Party Disgust. Hierarchical Disgust was constructed from expressions of Disgust directed to power structures, abuses of power, and leaders, whereas Third-Party Disgust comprised expressions directed at negative outcomes for others, often in the form of discrimination or harm. Both themes served as a form of group protection through out-group distancing and normative in-group policing. Importantly, this research extends classic Disgust literature (e.g., Tybur et al., 2013), presenting a novel approach to naturalistic data collection and providing future researchers with an approach to study other emotions, beliefs, and subjects that are expressed online.