Cleanliness Could Really Be Next To Godliness, Or At Least More Ethical Behavior

Yikes! What if cleanliness really were next to godliness? It’s possible. In fact, researchers at Rice University think it’s probable, if godliness is related to ethical behavior. Science Daily reports that researchers at the school who have been studying the influence of disgust on behavior have found that people who are disgusted tend to become hyper-protective, so much so that they will lie or cheat to get out of a disgusting situation. Conversely, the researchers found, when study subjects contemplated cleanliness–they were asked to evaluate cleaning products, such as disinfectants, household cleaners and body washes– they did not engage in deceptive behaviors any more than usual, whatever that is. Why do we care? The researchers suggest that the findings could be applied to the workplace, where a cleaner environment could foster less self-interest and more cooperative behavior. Please pass the soap.