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Swearing makes you stronger, study says
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A study found that while cursing, people’s heart rates did not rise significantly, likely meaning that their fight-or-flight response was not being triggered. (Shutterstock/File)
Good news for those who just can’t seem to censor themselves: swearing might actually make you stronger.
Originally presented at the British Psychological Society meeting in Brighton, the study had 29 people ride an exercise bike and 52 people do a hand grip test. For those on bikes, it was found that when they swore throughout the 30-second ride, their peak power rose by 24 watts on average.
Each participant involved in both trials were told to pick one curse word and one neutral word to repeat throughout the tests.
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A psychologist at Keele University and presenter of the study, Richard Stephens, told The Guardian, “We asked them to repeat the word throughout each test. They don’t scream and shout it. They repeat it in an even tone.”
It was also found that while cursing, people’s heart rates did not rise significantly, likely meaning that their fight-or-flight response was not being triggered.
“We’re not telling people something they don’t already know, but we’re verifying that in a systematic and objective way,” said Stephens. “I think people instinctively reach for swear words when they hurt themselves and when they’re looking for an extra boost in performance.” (sul/kes)
