Swearing helps people perform better when peak performance is needed, study finds

[Freija]

APA PsycNet

psycnet.apa.org

Swearing helps people perform better when peak performance is needed, study finds

Does dropping an f-bomb make you stronger? A new study suggests that swearing improves physical performance. Researchers discovered that cursing tricks the brain into dropping its inhibitions, allowing people to tap into extra strength.

www.psypost.org

Yes, goddammit, everyone knows this!

Psychological experiments found that repeating a self-selected swear word while doing chair push-ups resulted in better performance compared to repeating a neutral word. Swearing might promote psychological states that allow an individual to maximize effort and overcome internal constraints. The paper was published in American Psychologist.

In many situations where peak performance is needed, people hold themselves back, either consciously or unconsciously. This limits their opportunities for success. For example, people may forego situations where they can express ideas or seize personal or professional opportunities because they fear public speaking. Job applicants may hesitate when negotiating salaries. A person may feel too shy to approach someone they are attracted to, missing an opportunity to establish a desired romantic relationship.

“These findings suggest that swearing promotes psychological states conducive to maximizing effort and overcoming internal constraints. These effects have potential implications for athletic performance, rehabilitation, and contexts requiring courage or assertiveness. As such, swearing may represent a low-cost, widely accessible psychological intervention to help individuals ‘not hold back’ when peak performance is needed,” the study authors concluded.

What isn't discussed in this study how swearing can help moderate pain. At least that's my own theory. As a hobby woodworker, minor cuts, scrapes and bruises tend to come with the territory and as someone who has also had half a dozen bones and 100s of stitches over the years, when something happens the first thing out of my is "OH ____! Sometimes it a colorful phrase or _____, _____, _____ over and over again.

Trust me it helps and you can swear here but I chose not to, at least this time. lol

 

[Kenzo]

The f-word is so versatile .

https://www.tiktok.com/video/7463180176751332641

 

[David64]

My Wife put a picture of me working on my old truck on Facebook titled "If you want to learn to cuss, marry a Southern man. They have a whole different vocabulary"