New Research From Keele University Reveals How Swearing Strengthens A Person [VIDEO]
ByAlthough a lot of people swear, it is still viewed inappropriately in general. Simply put, society has an unspoken rule that a decent, educated person is not supposed to swear. However, a new study is set to change that because it says that swearing actually makes a person stronger.
A team of researchers from Keele University in the UK asked 81 people in a study about how profanities positively affect a person. They divided the group to perform different activities - 29 were asked to cycle while 52 were asked to do the hand-grip test.
They were also asked to choose a swear word they normally use when they hit their head. They were also asked to pick a neutral word to describe a table, such as "brown" or "wood."
After that, they asked the participants to repeat the profanity when they perform the assigned activity. The researchers also instructed them not to shout the word but recite them in an even tone.
The results were surprising because the participants of the bike challenge increased their power by 24 watts while those who lifted weight increased their strength by 2.1 kilograms when they swear while doing the activity.
Richard Stephens, the author of the study and a psychologist at Keele University, also explained that while the participants were performing the activities and swear at the same time, their heart rate does not increase suggesting that it does not activate the flight-or-fight response of the participants.
Stephens said that their research might not come as a surprise to those who swear to push themselves into doing something challenging. He also added that their research is not even new but they are simply verifying it in a "systematic and objective" way. However, there is much to be discovered how swearing has this effect on pain tolerance and strength.