Neuroscientists have discovered that repeating swear words before performing a physical task can make a real difference—not just in strength, but in motivation and the overall feeling of endurance.
اضافة اعلان
In a recently published study in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, researchers found that repeating a swear word for 10 seconds before performing a strong handgrip on a dynamometer increased participants' performance by 1.4 kilograms compared to those who used neutral words. Participants also reported improved mood, a sense of humor, and increased enthusiasm.
The study involved 52 university students who were asked to repeat either a swear word or a neutral word, then perform two tests:
One to measure grip strength.
Another to test focus and attention, which required identifying the direction of a central arrow among distracting symbols.
During the experiment, their brain activity was recorded using EEG to monitor a signal known as "ERN" (Error-Related Negativity), which appears immediately after making a mistake and reflects how alert and accuracy-focused the brain is.
The surprise?
While swearing improved physical strength and activated the brain's motivational system—especially the part responsible for goal-driven behavior (BAS Drive)—the ERN signal did not change. This means the brain continued to monitor mistakes efficiently, indicating that swearing did not weaken self-control or "relax" the brain as previously thought.
Researchers explained that swearing doesn't boost willpower in the traditional sense, but rather triggers a surge of strong emotions like anger or excitement, which temporarily help in pain tolerance, physical performance, and overcoming challenges—without losing control or rational thinking.
The research team concluded that the effect of swearing on the brain is more complex than we assume, and the idea that swearing causes total relaxation might be exaggerated—prompting a re-evaluation of common beliefs about it.
