--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A phenomenon known as sympathetic…" description: "\"“A phenomenon known as sympathetic vomiting occurs when the sight of someone throwing up causes others to do so too. Such copycat behavior probably evo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_food-poisoning_a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiti_2052292.jpg" --- # A phenomenon known as sympathetic vomiting occurs when the… ![“A phenomenon known as sympathetic vomiting occurs when the sight of someone throwing up causes others to do so too. Such copycat behavior probably evolved to protect us from food poisoning, a hazard that was both more common and more lethal in generations past.” quote by Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_food-poisoning_a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiti_2052292.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_food-poisoning_a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiti_2052292.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_food-poisoning_a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiti_2052292.jpg) > ““A phenomenon known as sympathetic vomiting occurs when the sight of someone throwing up causes others to do so too. Such copycat behavior probably evolved to protect us from food poisoning, a hazard that was both more common and more lethal in generations past.”” [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeing others vomit can trigger the same response, an evolved protective reflex against shared food hazards. **In simple terms:** Seeing someone vomit can make you vomit, a protective reflex. Key Takeaway Recognize and manage contagious reactions. Themes biology psychology evolutionary theory Mood informative scientific Type educational explanatory When to use this quote - health education - public safety - food handling training Key Concepts social contagion protective reflexes Questions to Reflect On - Why do we still have such strong reactions? - Can awareness reduce the response? A Different Perspective The reflex may be less relevant with modern food safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Food poisoning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-poisoning/) [Sympathetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathetic/) [Sympathetic Vomiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathetic-vomiting-3873836/) [Throwing Causes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throwing-causes-3873838/) [Vomiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vomiting/) [Vomiting Occurs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vomiting-occurs-3873837/) ## Related quotes > [She got to you, too, huh?" I said, sliding onto the bench seat across from him. "Actually, I called her." Luca grinned. "I'm vomiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/she-got-to-you-too-huh-i-said-sliding-onto-the-bench-seat-across-from/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [“How To Tell If Somebody Loves You: Somebody loves you if they pick an eyelash off of your face or wet a napkin and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-o-connell/how-to-tell-if-somebody-loves-you-somebody-loves-you-if-they-pick-an/) [Ryan O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-o-connell/) > [ “A nationwide study published by the USDA in 1996 found that \[...\] 78.6 percent of the ground beef contained microbes that are spread primarily… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/a-nationwide-study-published-by-the-usda-in-1996-found-that-78-6/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [There's more of gravey than grave about you, whatever you are!" - Scrooge, referring to Marley's ghost which he believes is a hallucination from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-s-more-of-gravey-than-grave-about-you-whatever-you-are-scrooge/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [As a matter of fact, most cases of food poisoning are never linked back to their source.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/as-a-matter-of-fact-most-cases-of-food-poisoning-are-never-linked/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [Well, the most terrible fear that anybody should have is not war, is not a disease, not cancer or heart problems or food poisoning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-winters/well-the-most-terrible-fear-that-anybody-should-have-is-not-war-is/) [Jonathan Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-winters/) > [I've got this rep as a party boy, but the only show I've ever missed was when I had food poisoning from an Australian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/i-ve-got-this-rep-as-a-party-boy-but-the-only-show-i-ve-ever-missed/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [“I can honestly say, with complete disappointment, that I have never purged in my life, because I have what I call a barfing disorder.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/i-can-honestly-say-with-complete-disappointment-that-i-have-never/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [I can't wait to see the debate between Ryan and Joe Biden. Biden is said to be already trying out different strategies. So far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-can-t-wait-to-see-the-debate-between-ryan-and-joe-biden-biden-is/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [The hover cars were terrifying. I manage to make it even more terrifying by having food poisoning on that day as well. Hover cars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/the-hover-cars-were-terrifying-i-manage-to-make-it-even-more/) [Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/) > [Can you imagine the headlines if I gave someone food poisoning? They'd hang me off Tower Bridge by my ballbag!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/can-you-imagine-the-headlines-if-i-gave-someone-food-poisoning-they-d/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [Theres nothing to fear but fears themselves, such as monsters, rejection, food poisoning, redundancy, monsters, and oxford commas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-benzine/theres-nothing-to-fear-but-fears-themselves-such-as-monsters/) [Craig Benzine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-benzine/) > [Warning!!!!! There's a serious out break of food poisoning across the world. And it's the devil feeding everyone lies… Don't Be Deceived!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-j-cowell/warning-there-s-a-serious-out-break-of-food-poisoning-across-the/) [Larry J Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-j-cowell/) > [“The medical literature on the causes of food poisoning is full of euphemisms and dry scientific terms: coliform levels, aerobic plate counts, sorbitol, MacConkey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/the-medical-literature-on-the-causes-of-food-poisoning-is-full-of/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [“Heat prickled my cheeks. My palms went clammy. Love is a lot like food poisoning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-supplee/heat-prickled-my-cheeks-my-palms-went-clammy-love-is-a-lot-like-food/) [Suzanne Supplee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-supplee/) ## More by Kathleen McAuliffe > [“Save for the ancient Egyptians, he found, virtually no one kept cats as pets until the latter part of the 1700s. The first people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/save-for-the-ancient-egyptians-he-found-virtually-no-one-kept-cats-as/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Vast populations in parasitic hot zones are without hospitals, doctors, drugs, or surgical equipment. Meanwhile, often directed at the very same underserved regions, wealthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/vast-populations-in-parasitic-hot-zones-are-without-hospitals-doctors/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Putting this all together, Moore and Reiber predicted that the germ would prod people to seek out the company of others early in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/putting-this-all-together-moore-and-reiber-predicted-that-the-germ/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“By enlisting the assistance of a team of neuroimmunologists, however, Schaller succeeded in conducting one of the few studies to address the question. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/by-enlisting-the-assistance-of-a-team-of-neuroimmunologists-however/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“After being shown pictures of people coughing, cartoonish germs sprouting from a sponge, and similar infection-evoking images, women—the sex most vulnerable to STDs—endorsed more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/after-being-shown-pictures-of-people-coughing-cartoonish-germs/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“We were seated in a sparkling new building on the UBC campus with austere modern lines and sleek, minimalist décor—about as sterile a setting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/we-were-seated-in-a-sparkling-new-building-on-the-ubc-campus-with/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“What would happen if the parasites were removed from this picture? Would there be fewer birds in the sky, more fish in the sea?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/what-would-happen-if-the-parasites-were-removed-from-this-picture/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Xenophobic propaganda can take another sinister form. Its progenitor is that favorite taunt of the playground bully: “You’ve got cooties.” Grown-up bullies are notorious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/xenophobic-propaganda-can-take-another-sinister-form-its-progenitor/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Good looks, for example, are denoted by symmetrical features—a sign that early life development was not disrupted by infection—and skin that shows no trace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/good-looks-for-example-are-denoted-by-symmetrical-features-a-sign/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“When subjects in one of Pizarro’s studies were shown a sign recommending the use of hand wipes, he reported, they were harsher in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/when-subjects-in-one-of-pizarro-s-studies-were-shown-a-sign/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Consumers even avoid buying items placed near a product with icky connotations. Grocery shoppers, for instance, have been shown to be repelled by foods—including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/consumers-even-avoid-buying-items-placed-near-a-product-with-icky/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Nonetheless, studies by Schaller and other researchers indicate that people who chronically worry about disease are especially prone to antipathy toward those whose appearances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/nonetheless-studies-by-schaller-and-other-researchers-indicate-that/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“The recently ill display similar biases, possibly, Schaller theorizes, because their immune systems may still be run-down, so their minds compensate by ratcheting up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/the-recently-ill-display-similar-biases-possibly-schaller-theorizes/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“In the first three days after vaccination, coinciding with the time when the virus was most contagious, subjects interacted with twice as many people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/in-the-first-three-days-after-vaccination-coinciding-with-the-time/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) > [“Malaria, presently among the most deadly infectious agents on the planet, is arguably the greatest mass murderer of all time. Experts estimate the disease…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/malaria-presently-among-the-most-deadly-infectious-agents-on-the/) [Kathleen McAuliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) [Explore all 18 Kathleen McAuliffe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/) ## More Food poisoning quotes > [“How To Tell If Somebody Loves You: Somebody loves you if they pick an eyelash off of your face or wet a napkin and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-o-connell/how-to-tell-if-somebody-loves-you-somebody-loves-you-if-they-pick-an/) [Ryan O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-o-connell/) > [“The medical literature on the causes of food poisoning is full of euphemisms and dry scientific terms: coliform levels, aerobic plate counts, sorbitol, MacConkey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/the-medical-literature-on-the-causes-of-food-poisoning-is-full-of/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [Warning!!!!! There's a serious out break of food poisoning across the world. And it's the devil feeding everyone lies… Don't Be Deceived!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-j-cowell/warning-there-s-a-serious-out-break-of-food-poisoning-across-the/) [Larry J Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-j-cowell/) > [Theres nothing to fear but fears themselves, such as monsters, rejection, food poisoning, redundancy, monsters, and oxford commas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-benzine/theres-nothing-to-fear-but-fears-themselves-such-as-monsters/) [Craig Benzine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-benzine/) > [Can you imagine the headlines if I gave someone food poisoning? They'd hang me off Tower Bridge by my ballbag!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/can-you-imagine-the-headlines-if-i-gave-someone-food-poisoning-they-d/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [The hover cars were terrifying. I manage to make it even more terrifying by having food poisoning on that day as well. Hover cars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/the-hover-cars-were-terrifying-i-manage-to-make-it-even-more/) [Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/) > [I can't wait to see the debate between Ryan and Joe Biden. Biden is said to be already trying out different strategies. So far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/i-can-t-wait-to-see-the-debate-between-ryan-and-joe-biden-biden-is/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [“I can honestly say, with complete disappointment, that I have never purged in my life, because I have what I call a barfing disorder.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-griffin/i-can-honestly-say-with-complete-disappointment-that-i-have-never/) [Kathy Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-griffin/) > [I've got this rep as a party boy, but the only show I've ever missed was when I had food poisoning from an Australian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/i-ve-got-this-rep-as-a-party-boy-but-the-only-show-i-ve-ever-missed/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [She got to you, too, huh?" I said, sliding onto the bench seat across from him. "Actually, I called her." Luca grinned. "I'm vomiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/she-got-to-you-too-huh-i-said-sliding-onto-the-bench-seat-across-from/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Well, the most terrible fear that anybody should have is not war, is not a disease, not cancer or heart problems or food poisoning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-winters/well-the-most-terrible-fear-that-anybody-should-have-is-not-war-is/) [Jonathan Winters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-winters/) > [As a matter of fact, most cases of food poisoning are never linked back to their source.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/as-a-matter-of-fact-most-cases-of-food-poisoning-are-never-linked/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [There's more of gravey than grave about you, whatever you are!" - Scrooge, referring to Marley's ghost which he believes is a hallucination from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/there-s-more-of-gravey-than-grave-about-you-whatever-you-are-scrooge/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [ “A nationwide study published by the USDA in 1996 found that \[...\] 78.6 percent of the ground beef contained microbes that are spread primarily… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schlosser/a-nationwide-study-published-by-the-usda-in-1996-found-that-78-6/) [Eric Schlosser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schlosser/) > [“Heat prickled my cheeks. My palms went clammy. Love is a lot like food poisoning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-supplee/heat-prickled-my-cheeks-my-palms-went-clammy-love-is-a-lot-like-food/) [Suzanne Supplee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-supplee/) [Browse all 52 Food poisoning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-poisoning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A phenomenon known as sympathetic vomiting occurs when the sight of someone throwing up causes others to do so too. Such copycat behavior probably evolved to protect us from food poisoning, a hazard that was both more common and more lethal in generations past.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kathleen McAuliffe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiting-occurs-when-the-sight-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Food poisoning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiting-occurs-when-the-sight-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_food-poisoning_a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiti_2052292.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_food-poisoning_a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiti_2052292.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e21/kathleen-mcauliffe-29763_food-poisoning_a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiti_2052292.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A phenomenon known as sympathetic vomiting occurs when the sight of someone throwing up causes others to do…” — Kathleen McAuliffe", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kathleen McAuliffe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcauliffe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A phenomenon known as sympathetic vomiting...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiting-occurs-when-the-sight-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcauliffe/a-phenomenon-known-as-sympathetic-vomiting-occurs-when-the-sight-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```