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Type A and Type B Personality Theory
Is Cursing Related to Our Health and Behavior?
Insights from the science of swearing.
Posted April 17, 2023 Reviewed by Devon Frye
Key points
- Social judgments about swearing depend partially on gender.
- Doctors, cops, and other professionals who curse may suffer negative social judgments.
- Cursing may help cope with social stress and rejection.
- Cursing can help athletic performance.
“F*ck is the most flexible word in the English language.”
“Smart people curse more.”
“Swearing is good for your health.”
So many claims—such little science? Swearing is a common daily behavior, but the study of it is thin/
Where and How Has Cursing Been Studied?
One way cursing has been studied is to understand its impact on perceptions of messages. Unsurprisingly, gender matters when it comes to perceptions of cursing.
One study used an experiment of written conversations to understand the link between gender and perceptions of swearing. It turns out that swearing can lead you to be viewed as less trustworthy and intelligent (Dang!). When cursing in the presence of both a male and female, the person cursing was also judged as less sociable (Son of a biscuit!). Men in particular were perceived as offensive when swearing in mixed company situations.
Another experiment studied cursing and politics. Politicians were deemed more informal and viewed more favorably when they cursed. This pattern was particularly strong for a male politician. (Ever wonder why certain "politicians" are so popular?) The downside to political swearing? A politician’s message is less impactful when cursing. Like the candidate, dislike the message (Crap! Cursing doesn't win elections?)
Importantly, the negative impacts of cursing on social perceptions extend to other professions. A series of experiments looking at doctors’ swearing showed that physicians who swore were viewed as unlikeable, less knowledgeable, and less trustworthy.
Swearing may not be great for cops either. An experimental study showed that a cop who cursed during a shooting was viewed as less professional and more culpable.
Ever read a Yelp review? Cursing appears to influence how useful reviews are judged. In particular, cursing in positive Yelp reviews was seen as more credible, and ultimately useful. The lesson? When you want to help out a business, highlight the fudging positives!
How Is Cursing Related to Our Health and Coping?
A team of British and Australian social scientists studied Type D personality (did you know there was such a thing? Neither did I) and writing as a way to enhance mood. A Type D personality is someone charged with negative emotion, likely due, in part, to avoiding social interaction. As the logic goes, avoiding other people leads a Type D person to hold negative emotions, leading to poor health.
What did they find? The Australian and British team found that writing about positive experiences benefited mood. (Bloody flippin' hell!) The kicker? Type D persons more commonly used swear words—the researchers surmised that Type D persons cursed more to cope with the stress experienced from lack of social engagement. Similarly, another study showed that swearing in the face of social rejection can actually lessen feelings of social pain.
What about verbal road rage? A team of Romanian researchers designed a clever test to see when, if at all, cursing may be beneficial behind the wheel. The main finding was that cursing at pedestrians who were illegally crossing the street boosted drivers’ moods and lowered physical activation. Never let anyone tell you not to flip the bird to a jaywalker!
Perhaps the most interesting impact of swearing on health and behavior comes in athletics. Swearing seems to result in greater athletic performance and grip strength.
So what do we make of all this flippin' science?
Well, my mother always used to get mad at my brother and I for cursing so much. Perhaps she was on to something? People who curse may be perceived less positively, be less persuasive, and experience negative emotions. But who gives a fudge what other people think? The good news for us verbally creative types is that cursing may help with health and coping.
Is the science conclusive that we shouldn’t curse? F*ck no!
