Health
Why do women get 'the ick' from men? Experts explain the psychology behind the feeling
In modern dating, the “ick” is primarily experienced by women and feared by men.
The term has gone viral on social media in recent years.
It describes a feeling of disgust toward the actions, appearances and other characteristics of someone’s partner.
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Some examples of popular icks include people chewing with their mouths open, wearing flip-flops or tripping over their own feet while walking.
The list has narrowed to a more specific set of icks blasted on the internet, including aversions to how men chase after a ping-pong ball, or even use a debit card instead of a credit card on a date.
One woman on TikTok posted a video of her significant other walking around the apartment wearing tiny no-show socks. (TikTok/Screenshot/Amanda)
Primal instinct
National Geographic claims that the “ick” feeling is related to a biological, primal instinct.
In several primate species, including humans, adult females are “more sensitive to grossness than males,” according to a scientific dive by NatGeo.
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“For instance, female gray mouse lemurs and Japanese macaques are more likely than males to turn up their noses at contaminated food, while female western lowland gorillas and olive baboons tend to avoid fellow animals with skin infections,” the report noted.
This cautiousness then leads to a lower incidence of infectious disease in females, according to scientists.
Female Japanese macaques are “more likely than males to turn up their noses at contaminated food,” experts say. (iStock)
Cecile Sarabian, a cognitive ecologist at the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, France, told NatGeo that there’s a “protective power to the ‘yuck.’”
She suggested that females’ pickiness about what they eat and who they expose themselves to “may be one of the reasons female primates live longer than males.”
“Scientists don’t know why lots of female animals — including humans — are more easily grossed out than males.”
Elizabeth Anne Brown, a National Geographic contributing writer based in Denmark, commented on the findings.
“Scientists don’t know why lots of female animals — including humans — are more easily grossed out than males,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“But ‘yuck’ acts like an advanced guard for our immune system, limiting our exposure to things that could make us sick, like parasites and bacteria.”
Disgust “plays an important role” in mate selection for primates, Brown said, as females of some species “will absolutely shut down prospective suitors [who have] symptoms of STDs.”
“Female gorillas take ‘the ick’ so seriously they basically skip town and start a new life,” a NatGeo contributing writer said. (iStock)
“If the resident male in a troop of western lowland gorillas develops pale blotches on his face — a symptom of infection with treponema, the same contagious bacteria that causes syphilis in humans — some females will fully abandon the troop and search for an uninfected male,” she said.
“These female gorillas take ‘the ick’ so seriously that they basically skip town and start a new life.”
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In analyzing Japanese macaques, Sarabian noted that the females would wipe off any leaf litter from their acorns before eating them, while the males were “more likely to gobble the food down having barely looked at it.”
She added, “Unfortunately, the only dating advice we can take from our primate cousins is to be cautious about STDs — always a good policy.”
Those who “get the ick” easily should try shifting their perception of the situation, one expert suggested. (iStock)
Psychology of feeling icky
Dr. Kyra Bobinet, a California behavioral neuroscientist and author of “Unstoppable Brain,” broke down what happens in the brain when someone feels disgusted.
“Anything we are averse to, that we want to avoid, or that we shrink back from — including the ick — is controlled by this area of the brain [called the habenula],” she told Fox News Digital.
The habenula is a central part of the brain that’s involved in various important functions, including motivation and decision-making, according to the expert.
The habenula is a central part of the brain that’s involved in various important functions, including motivation and decision-making. (iStock)
This area, when activated, “kills our motivation to try,” said Bobinet.
“This area of your brain is scouting for anything that’s not going to work out for you,” she said. “It has a negativity bias.”
The expert encouraged those who “get the ick” to try shifting their perception of the situation.
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Bobinet also agreed that women are biologically more prone to having self-awareness of “icky” feelings, as they are “made to make babies.”
She said, “We have to be very sensitive to our environment because we have to protect the baby from fumes, from danger, from all these things.”
Women are biologically more prone to having self-awareness of “icky” feelings, as they are “made to make babies,” an expert noted. (iStock)
Role of social media
The ick gets “taken to an extreme” on social media, according to Bobinet — “and you can get really narrowed down and too picky.”
This can interfere with dating, the expert suggested, as criteria for a partner become “unrealistic.”
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M. David Rudd, PhD, distinguished professor of psychology at The University of Memphis, said there are “undoubtedly evolutionary reasons” for disgust “across genders.”
“But it’s important to always factor into today’s phenomenon the issue of social learning and related reinforcement driven by the broad and unparalleled reach of social media,” he told Fox News Digital.
Modern dating poses struggles for both genders, experts said. (iStock)
Rudd noted that social media creators are also motivated by attention and financial gain, which can move along trends more than “any meaningful evolutionary purpose.”
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“Those most vulnerable to mimicking social media behavior are often those most in need of the central motivators to begin with — attention being the central one, quickly followed by money,” he said.
“Extrapolating and interpreting evolutionary benefits in this context is likely to lead to considerably high error rates.”
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Amid warnings of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, health experts say that early recognition of symptoms can mean the difference between a quick recovery and life-threatening complications, especially for high-risk groups.
New York City health officials are urging anyone who has visited the east side of Central Park or Manhattan’s Upper East Side since late June to watch for symptoms.
As of July 6, the New York City Health Department had confirmed 23 cases and 17 hospitalizations associated with the respiratory infection. No deaths have been reported.
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Officials are investigating contaminated cooling towers as the likely source. They have emphasized that the illness is not spread person-to-person and is not linked to the city’s drinking water.
Health experts say that early recognition of symptoms can mean the difference between a quick recovery and life-threatening complications, especially for high-risk groups. (iStock)
“Legionnaires’ disease is deadly but can be effectively treated if diagnosed early,” said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin in a press release. “New Yorkers at higher risk, including anyone who is 50 and older, those who smoke or people with chronic lung conditions should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin.”
What is Legionnaires’?
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria.
The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments, but can grow in any area where water sits for a long time, according to the CDC.
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That can include shower heads, sink faucets, hot tubs, water features/fountains, plumbing systems and other water systems.
When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill.
Although human transmission is possible in rare cases, the disease is not typically transmitted among people, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms of infection
Infections can lead to severe pneumonia in older people and those with compromised immune systems, according to Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital on Long Island, New York.
Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease usually show up between two and 14 days after exposure.
New York City health officials are urging anyone who has visited the east side of Central Park or Manhattan’s Upper East Side since late June to watch for symptoms. (iStock)
“Legionella infections cause symptoms that are similar to other forms of pneumonia — fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain,” Handel previously told Fox News Digital.
“Legionnaires’ disease is deadly but can be effectively treated if diagnosed early.”
The signs are similar to other types of pneumonia, and include the following:
- Cough
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle aches and headaches
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Some patients may also experience nausea, diarrhea and confusion, the CDC noted.
Diagnosis, treatment and prevention
A medical professional can diagnose the infection with laboratory tests and chest X-rays.
The condition is typically treated with antibiotics. In cases of severe infection, hospitalization may be required for breathing support and IV hydration.
Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from those complications — and the mortality risk rises to 25% for those who get Legionnaires’ while staying in a healthcare facility, according to the CDC.
The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments, but can grow in any area where water sits for a long time, according to the CDC. (iStock)
“Treatment needs to be early and aggressive,” Dr. Nathan Goodyear, an Arizona-based integrative medicine expert, previously told Fox News Digital. “Legionella infection is an intracellular infection that requires antibiotic treatment.”
Antibiotics that are appropriate for Legionella infection include Levofloxacin and Azithromycin.
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“Therapy can be prescribed orally in healthy individuals… but intravenous antibiotics often prove to be the initial option for treatment secondary to the pathogenicity of the disease,” Goodyear said.
Currently, there are no vaccines for Legionnaires’ disease.
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The best strategy to prevent infection is to reduce the growth and spread of the Legionella bacteria. The CDC recommends that building owners and managers use a water management program to reduce the risk.
“New Yorkers at higher risk, including anyone who is 50 and older, those who smoke or people with chronic lung conditions should be especially mindful of their symptoms and seek care as soon as symptoms begin,” city officials stated. (iStock)
To prevent serious illness from Legionnaires’, Goodyear recommends that all smokers kick the habit, and also emphasizes the need to “aggressively support” chronic pulmonary disease.
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“Increasing immune support (vitamin D3, vitamin C, Zinc) is required to counter the immune dysfunction associated with advancing age.”
Obesity is another foundational risk factor for all chronic inflammatory diseases, the doctor added.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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