The Evolution of the Bathroom and the Implications for Paruresis THE EVOLUTION OF THE BATHROOM AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PARURESIS By Steven Soifer, M.S.W., Ph.D. President International Paruresis Association (IPA, Inc). PO Box 65111 Baltimore, MD 21209 1-800-247-3864 ssoifer@ssw.umaryland.edu Copyright 2000 by IPA, Inc. How modern man (and woman) deal with the problem of human elimination has shown much variation across time, civilizations, and religions. The only reason it would even appear to be an issue is because we are social beings, and are concerned about how and what others think of us. Living in groups, the individual, to some degree, must conform to group norms in order to maintain his or her position within it. 1 Moreover, the affluence of a society will shape the kinds of facilities that eventually develop. Initially, one would expect some collective facility, then perhaps several smaller facilities for subgroups or families, and finally individual toilet facilities in private dwellings. A key factor would also be the availability of water for disposal purposes. 2 Early in the human species evolution, bathrooms were clearly unnecessary, since we wandered about without any permanent settlements, and used the outdoors and earth to relieve ourselves and cover our excrement – such as fields, rivers, and perhaps rock piles. Once we set some roots, however, and built dwellings, the need for facilities for the disposal of waste excrement was necessary. Consequently, primi tive toil et facili ti es were created, first outsi de of any dwelling uni ts, and then Page 1