Curious About The Ick - When You Just Can't Unsee It.

What's your primary Ick? Take the ICK QUIZ here: https://curiousaboutpodcast.com/resources-and-stuff ---Dating should be an open mind and an open heart, right? So why does one wrong word, one questionable outfit, or one terrible smell turn potential partners into absolute no-gos? Evelina and Danny dive into "the ick" - that sudden, visceral aversion that makes you want to run. It's real, it's universal, and it might be sabotaging your dating life.In this episode, Evelina and Danny unpack the psychology of disgust and decode five unexpected categories of ick. They get personal about their own deal-breakers, tackle why Gen Z is walking away from dates faster than ever, and interrogate the research showing that women experience icks more than men. They also explore the "paradox of choice" on dating apps. Why endless options leave us paralysed and less likely to commit - and break down the biggest icks people report: negativity in bios, overly filtered photos, materialistic vibes, and low effort profiles.In this episode:Why disgust is actually a protective mechanism that kept humans alive (and why it still matters)The difference between an ick, a turn-off, and a deal-breaker (they're not the same)Danny admits he was probably the ick: deep conversation and intense questions on first dates didn't land wellEvelina's very specific aversion to Aldi dishwashing tablets and why she'll rewash an entire plate to avoid the smellThe Jam Study: why having 24 choices makes you less likely to choose anything at allHow to tell if your dating profile is screaming "negative energy" to potential matchesA custom Curious Cats quiz to identify your primary ick and where it came fromSneaky science alert: The Three Domains of Disgust Scale (Altunji et al., 2012) breaks down pathogen, sexual, and moral disgust—but Evelina adds behavioural, pattern, and presence icks to the mix, all while the hosts debate whether no-socks-with-loafers is truly a deal-breaker or just a fashion preference.Curious About… is hosted by psychologist and enter-trainer Evelina Bereni and Broadway performer and counsellor Danny Beiruti.