Latest news with #theick
Fast Company
6 days ago
- Health
- Fast Company
Why you're catching the ‘ick' so easily, according to science
If you are frequently getting the ick from potential romantic partners, it might not be them. The problem might be you. A new study has found that if you possess certain personality traits, you might be more susceptible to the dreaded ick than others. Researchers Brian Collisson, Eliana Saunders, and Chloe Yin from Azusa Pacific University in Southern California found that those who are prone to disgust, hold others to high standards, or score higher in narcissism are most at risk. Even if you're unsure what we're talking about, you've likely experienced it. A now ubiquitous term in dating, the ick is used to describe the feeling of disgust that arises toward a love interest. They stumble on the side of the curb? Ick. There are remnants of red sauce around their mouth? Instant ick. Although the concept itself is not new (the ick was first coined in the 1990s TV show Ally McBeal), the term has more recently found a new lease on life online, with more than 120 million related posts on TikTok. 'Personally, I became interested in learning more about the ick when I heard that a friend of mine kept a running list on her phone notes app of every ick she'd ever experienced from a guy (it was several pages long),' Saunders, a graduate student at Azusa Pacific and the study's lead author, told Psypost. For the study, researchers asked 74 men and 51 women, ranging in age from 24 to 72, if they knew what getting the ick meant and whether they had ever experienced it. The study then measured the likelihood of participants experiencing the ick in response to specific behaviors. Participants also completed personality tests and answered questions about their dating lives. The findings are clear: Certain personality traits make participants more vulnerable to the ick. These include higher disgust sensitivity, which increases the intensity of reactions to triggers rather than the frequency of the ick occurring. Narcissism is also linked to the likelihood, though not the frequency, of experiencing the ick. Those who tend to place high expectations on others are triggered by a wider range of behaviors. Women are more likely than men to recognize the ick, though both men and women experience a similar average number of ick moments. For women, misogynistic behavior or annoying speech are immediate turnoffs. For men, it's vanity or 'overly trendy' behavior. While the ick often acts as a bucket of ice-cold water on a blossoming romance (about a quarter of participants reported ending a relationship immediately upon experiencing the ick), Saunders said people should look inward before making any hasty decisions. 'Before dumping a partner because their feet dangle when they sit in a chair, we should think critically about why we're feeling 'icked' out,' Saunders told Psypost
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mail
Have YOU experienced the 'ick'? It could mean you're a narcissist, according to a new study
It's a sudden repulsion that comes out of the blue. You can be dating someone for weeks and then – without warning – something they do puts you off. It can be as benign as the way they tie their shoelaces, or if they send two texts in a row in quick succession. This phenomenon, called 'getting the ick', refers to a sudden, visceral feeling of disgust towards someone you're romantically interested in. Now, scientists have revealed that experiencing the 'ick' could mean you have certain personality traits. They discovered people who hold others to high standards, who are more prone to disgust or who score higher in narcissism are more likely to experience the phenomenon. To start their study, the team conducted an analysis of the first 100 TikTok videos with the hashtag #theick. This revealed ick 'triggers' such as wearing awkward clothing, saying annoying phrases or being socially embarrassing. From this, they then recruited 125 single adults – a mix of men and women aged between 24 and 72. Participants were asked to rate the likelihood of experiencing the ick in response to these specific triggers, as well as to complete personality assessments and answer questions about their dating history. Analysis revealed that 64 per cent – nearly two-thirds – of people had experienced the ick at some point. Women were significantly more likely than men to know the term and to have felt it themselves. For a quarter of people, the ick was enough for them to stop dating a partner immediately. Meanwhile 42 per cent said it was significant enough for them to end the relationship later on. While most people shared their feelings with friends or family, only a minority told the person who had caused the ick about it. Eliana Saunders, a graduate student at Azusa Pacific University, carried out the study. EXAMPLES OF THE ICK FROM POPULAR TV: Love Island: Contestants report experiencing the ick in response to overly-bright smiles or awkward hand-holding Friends (Season 1, Episode 22): Monica becomes repulsed by her boyfriend after discovering he is younger than he looks Seinfeld (Season 6, Episode 2): Jerry is disgusted by his date's 'manly hands' Sex and the City (Season 6, Episode 2): Carrie is revolted by a lover after learning he wrote her a love song 'I thought it was surprising that about a quarter of participants reported ending a relationship immediately upon experiencing the ick,' she told the website PsyPost. 'As the ick increases in popularity, I'm curious if this number will rise or fall.' Analysis showed that women were more likely to be turned off by annoying speech or misogynistic behaviour. However, men were more likely to get the ick from vanity or 'overly trendy' behaviour. The team found that narcissism was linked to the likelihood of experiencing the ick. Those who scored higher in grandiose narcissism – characterised by an exaggerated sense of self-importance and a constant need for admiration – were more likely to react negatively to a perceived ick. People who imposed high standards on others were also more likely to report being put off by a wide range of behaviours. 'I think one of the most important lessons a reader can take from our findings is that it's important to take each 'ick' with a grain of salt,' Ms Saunders said. 'While this feeling of disgust could be a valid marker of mate incompatibility, it could also be a symptom of high sensitivity to disgust, narcissism or other-oriented perfectionism. 'Before dumping a partner because their feet dangle when they sit in a chair, we should think critically about why we're feeling 'icked' out. 'Ask yourself: Is this something I truly can't deal with, or am I being overly critical? Is this 'ick' their fault, or is it mine?' Writing in the journal Personality and Individual Differences the team added: 'Findings suggest that while the ick may help people identify potential mate incompatibilities, it may also lead to overly rigid rejection standards.' EXAMPLES OF THE ICK, ACCORDING TO SOCIAL MEDIA - Wearing lycra - Wearing shoes with no socks - Running after a ping pong ball - Riding an electric scooter - Putting their hand out for a taxi and it driving past - Calling wine 'vino' - Licking their fingers before turning a page - Posting polls to an Instagram story - Trying too hard to fit in - Chewing with their mouth open - Taking selfies - Using pet names too early in a relationship
