Effect of swearing on strength: Disinhibition as a potential mediator

Abstract

Introduction: Swearing fulfils positive functions including benefitting pain relief and physical strength. Here we present two experiments assessing a possible psychological mechanism, increased state disinhibition, for the effect of swearing on physical strength. Method: Two repeated measures experiments were carried out with sample sizes N=56, and N=118. Both included measures of physical performance assessing, respectively, grip and arm strength, and both included the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) to measure risky behaviour. Experiment 2, which was pre-registered, additionally assessed flow, emotion including humour, distraction including novelty, self-confidence and anxiety. Results: Experiments 1 and 2 found that repeating a swear word benefitted physical strength and increased risky behaviour, but risky behaviour did not mediate the strength effect. Experiment 2 found that repeating a swear word increased flow, positive emotion, humour and distraction and self-confidence. Humour mediated the effect of swearing on physical strength. Discussion: Consistent effects of swearing on physical strength indicate that this is a reliable effect. Swearing influenced several constructs related to state disinhibition including increased self-confidence. Humour appeared to mediate the effect of swearing on physical strength, consistent with a hot cognitions explanation of swearing-induced state disinhibition. However, as this mediation effect was part of an exploratory analysis, further pre-registered experimental research including validated measures of humour is required.

The power of swearing: What we know and what we don’t

“…Despite the lack of evidence for autonomic activation, there was a consistent pattern of results demonstrating that swearing increased strength and power/performance relative to not swearing. A more recent set of experiments by Stephens et al (2022) also found that repeating a swear word increased participants' physical strength, measured in grip and arm strength. The fact that this outcome has been found consistently across the studies suggests that it is a reliable effect.…”

F@#k Pain! The Effect of Taboo Language and Gesture on the Experience of Pain

“…Another possibility is that the hypoalgesic effects of a taboo act are due to changes in self-regulation or state disinhibition. Stephens et al (2022) showed that producing a swear word increased self-confidence and distraction compared to producing a neutral word, suggesting that when people swear, they may feel more confident in their own abilities and may be better able to ignore aversive stimulation. This could then lead to higher pain tolerance on the cold pressor task, as participants feel more confident in their ability to persevere and are also better able to ignore the pain they are experiencing.…”

F@#$ pain! A mini-review of the hypoalgesic effects of swearing

“…The positive physiological, psychological, and social effects of swearing may contribute to its high prevalence. Swearing has been shown to improve physical performance (Stephens et al, 2018(Stephens et al, , 2022Jiannine and Antonio, 2023), increase self-confidence (Stephens et al, 2022), increase humor (Beers Fägersten, 2012;Stephens et al, 2022), improve credibility (Rassin and van der Hay et al 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1416041 Frontiers in Psychology 02 frontiersin.org Heijden, 2005), strengthen social connections (Daly et al, 2004;Stapleton, 2010;Beers Fägersten, 2012;Giffin, 2016), and improve memory and recall (MacKay et al, 2004;Jay et al, 2008). Thus, swearing appears to produce beneficial effects across various physiological and psychological domains.…”