UK Research Team Announces Experimental Results
"Participants Withstood Weight Longer When Swearing"
"Psychological Changes Include Increased Immersion, Focus, and Confidence"
A study has found that swearing when under physical strain can actually enhance physical performance. The analysis suggests that swearing reduces psychological inhibition that unconsciously limits oneself, thereby improving focus.
A research team led by Dr. Richard Stephens at Keele University in the United Kingdom analyzed the effects of swearing on strength and endurance through experiments. Their findings were published on December 19 in the American Psychological Association (APA) journal, American Psychologist.
Although swearing is often considered socially inappropriate, its association with improved physical performance has been consistently raised. Dr. Stephens explained that while it is already established that swearing during physical challenges enhances performance, the motivation for this study was to determine how swearing is helpful and to identify the mechanisms behind its effects.
The research team asked 192 healthy adults to perform chair push-ups, supporting their body weight with their arms while placing their hands on a chair, and to repeat a swear word every two seconds. Participants also performed the same task while saying neutral words. The experiment was divided into two groups: one group performed the swearing push-ups first, while the other group started with the neutral word push-ups.
The results showed that participants were able to hold the chair push-up position significantly longer when swearing. In the first experiment (88 participants), the average duration was 26.92 seconds when swearing, which was 2.73 seconds longer than the 24.19 seconds recorded when using neutral words. In the second experiment (94 participants), the duration was 26.97 seconds with swearing, 2.42 seconds longer than the 24.55 seconds with neutral words.
When these results were combined with a previous experiment conducted in 2022 with 118 participants, the integrated analysis found that the average chair push-up time under the swearing condition was 27.97 seconds, which was 2.61 seconds longer than the 25.36 seconds recorded under the neutral word condition.
Responses to questions about participants' mental state during the experiment supported these findings. Participants reported that swearing made them feel more immersed, less distracted, and more confident, describing a state of disinhibition. Disinhibition here refers to a temporary reduction in self-censorship and social restraint.
Regarding these results, the research team stated, "Swearing appears to promote a psychological state that is advantageous for exerting maximum effort and overcoming internal constraints. This suggests that swearing could be useful in exercise performance, rehabilitation, and various situations that require courage or determination."
Dr. Stephens explained, "By swearing, people can cast off social constraints and push themselves harder in a variety of situations. This helps explain why swearing is so commonly used."
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