If you’ve ever suppressed the urge to unleash a string of obscenities, maybe think again. Some research suggests that it might be a better idea to simply let the filth fly.Scientifically speaking, a penchant for profanity doesn’t seem to be such a bad thing. Studies have shown that swearing relieves stress, dulls the sensation of pain, fosters camaraderie among peers and is linked with traits like verbal fluency, openness and honesty.

The Science Behind Swearing 

“There’s a point where it’s just more efficient to say, ‘F*&^ you,’ than it is to hit somebody.We’ve evolved this very efficient way to vent our emotions and convey them to others.”

After the scientists surveyed how often participants use profanity, they conducted a series of tests to determine how truthful an individual was. The research team found a positive link between profanity and honesty. Cursing was associated with less deception on an interpersonal level, and higher levels of integrity overall.

“People who are good at producing language are good at producing swear words. ﻿It’s not because they don’t have language — it’s because they have a whole toolbox full of words.”

And the effects of cursing are physical as well as mental. A 2018 study in Psychology of Sport and Exercise found that letting out a few choice words during a workout can actually make you stronger. In the study, participants who cursed aloud while gripping a hand vise were able to squeeze harder and longer.Experts in this field of study suggest that humans partly developed taboo language as an emotional release valve.

What Happens When You Curse

In 2009, researchers set out to study whether swearing alters someone’s experience of pain. Scientists found that swearing actually increases an individual’s pain tolerance. The team tasked 67 undergraduate volunteers with plunging their hands in ice-cold water for as long as they could handle it while repeating a swear word of their choice. Then, they did the experiment again — but this time, the students said a neutral, non-taboo word. The research team found that volunteers were able to keep their hands submerged in the frigid water for longer while repeating the swear word.See below...

Pain Relief Pt1

In addition, because swearing was accompanied by an increase in heart rate, the scientists think that cursing may trigger an individual’s “fight-or-flight” response. They suggest that swearing triggers negative emotions that serve as an alarm bell, alerting someone to danger and sparking an innate defense mechanism.

For many, the use of obscene language isn’t just a sign of boorish behavior — a common assumption is that people swear because they lack the vocabulary, education or even intelligence to express themselves in other ways. In other words, when language fails, we curse.“It’s a form of linguistic snobbery,” says Jay, referring to the presumed link between swearing and intelligence. “It’s a cultural stereotype. But the more I became sophisticated in language studies, the more I realized that every language scholar knows that’s not true.”

Fluent In Foulness

Beyond swearing's impacts on the body and mind, research has shown that cursing can influence our social dynamics, too. A 2012 study found that swearing can enhance the effectiveness and persuasiveness of an argument. In addition, cursing can also convey an emotional reaction to something without us resorting to physical violence.And while many might consider swearing less than savory, a recent study revealed that people who curse often actually lie less and have a higher degree of integrity.See below...

Damn Honest

See how psychological research shows people who swear like a sailor are more honest and intelligent.

People who swear like a sailor are more honest and more intelligent, studies show.

Fluent In Foulness

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