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Vomiting - Social implications

Vomiting - Social implications: Encyclopedia II - Vomiting - Social implications

Vomiting - Nausea inducement in groups. It is quite common that when one person vomits, others nearby will become nauseated, particularly when smelling the vomit of others, often to the point of vomiting themselves. It is believed that this is an evolved trait among primates. Many primates in the wild will tend to browse for food in small groups. Should one member of the party react adversely to some ingested food it may be advantageous (in a survival sense) for other members of the party also to vomit. This tend ...

Vomiting: Encyclopedia II - Vomiting - Social implications

Vomiting - Social implications

Vomiting - Nausea inducement in groups

It is quite common that when one person vomits, others nearby will become nauseated, particularly when smelling the vomit of others, often to the point of vomiting themselves. It is believed that this is an evolved trait among primates. Many primates in the wild will tend to browse for food in small groups. Should one member of the party react adversely to some ingested food it may be advantageous (in a survival sense) for other members of the party also to vomit. This tendency in human populations has been observed at drinking parties, where excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages may result in a number of party members vomiting nearly simultaneously, this being triggered by the initial vomiting of a single member of the party.

There have also been documented cases of a single ill and vomiting individual inadvertently causing others to do so, when they are especially fearful of also becoming ill, through a form of mass hysteria.

Vomiting - Context

Most people try to contain their vomit by vomiting into a sink, toilet, or trash can, as both the act and the vomit itself are widely considered embarrassing. On airplanes and boats, special bags are supplied for sick passengers to vomit into. Alternatively, a special disposable bag is available containing absorbent material that solidifies the vomit quickly, making it convenient and safe to keep (leakproof, puncture resistant, odorless) until there is an opportunity to dispose of it conveniently.

People who vomit chronically (e.g. as part of an eating disorder such as bulimia nervosa) may devise various ways to hide this abnormality.

Vomiting - In language

As with other physiological processes involving body wastes, vomiting has taboo aspects. This is shown by the large number of colourful euphemisms for vomiting. (see: toilet humour)