WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A recent study by the American Psychological Association suggests that swearing can help people perform better during physically demanding tasks by letting them push harder. Researchers noted that this happens because swearing reduces mental and social restraints that usually hold people back.
'In many situations, people hold themselves back - consciously or unconsciously - from using their full strength,' said study author Richard Stephens of Keele University in the U.K. 'Swearing is an easily available way to help yourself feel focused, confident and less distracted, and 'go for it' a little more.'
Earlier studies have shown that people who repeated swear words were stronger and could tolerate more pain during tough activities like intense cycling or keeping a hand in icy water. Even though the scientists thought that swearing might trigger a 'fight or flight' response, they found no signs of this.
Instead, the new research shows that swearing puts people in a more relaxed, uninhibited mental state. By breaking social rules, swearing seems to boost confidence and make it easier to give more effort, according to researcher Richard Stephens.
In the recent study, two experiments involving 192 participants were conducted, where people were asked to repeat either a swear word or a neutral word while doing chair pushups. Afterward, they answered questions about how they felt during the exercise.
Those who swore reported feeling more confident, more focused, and less aware of the strain of the task. As a result, they were able to hold the chair pushup position about 11 percent longer than those who used neutral words. Overall, the findings confirm that swearing can improve physical performance by increasing confidence, focus, and distraction from discomfort.
'These findings help explain why swearing is so commonplace,' said Stephens. 'Swearing is literally a calorie-neutral, drug-free, low-cost, readily available tool at our disposal for when we need a boost in performance.'
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