People often stop exercising not because their muscles fail, but because their minds fail. A new study shows that swearing, long considered a social taboo, may help people overcome this mental barrier, allowing them to perform difficult physical tasks longer.
In an article published in American psychologistResearchers report that participants who repeated curse words during a strength exercise outlasted those who repeated a neutral word. The results build on earlier work showing that swearing can improve performance and offer new insight into the psychological state that causes this to happen.
“In many situations, people hold themselves back—consciously or unconsciously—from using their full power,” study author Richard Stevens said in the paper. press release. “Early is an easily accessible way to help yourself feel focused, confident and less distracted, and to ‘get it done’ a little more.”
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How swearing affects physical effort
The performance-enhancing effects of swearing have been noted repeatedly in past studies, from pain tolerance tests to upper-body strength exercises. Experiments have shown that people who swear tend to last longer, even though their physical abilities are otherwise similar.
This sequence prompted researchers to ask a deeper question: If swearing doesn't make people stronger, what does it do?
Instead of focusing on pain or arousal, the team focused on disinhibition—the loosening of internal constraints that often limit effort. They suspected that swearing could help people temporarily relinquish self-control and hesitation, making it easier to fully commit to a task.
Measuring the mental impact of swearing
To check if the swearing changes thinking During the work, the team conducted a pair of laboratory studies involving just under 200 volunteers. Participants were asked to do push-ups in a chair while repeating one word at regular intervals—either a curse word of their choice or a neutral alternative.
Instead of focusing only on how long people lasted, the researchers also looked at how the task felt in the moment. Participants then rated their confidence, focus, and sense of psychological flow—a state of deep absorption in which attention becomes narrower and effort seems more automatic—as well as how distracted or self-conscious they felt during the exercise.
The results showed that people who cursed were able to support their body weight longer than those who repeated a neutral word. This advantage was not associated with physical strength one.
Instead, it was due to changes in thinking: Participants who vowed reported feeling more confident and more mentally engaged in the task, with less self-conscious hesitation. These shifts indicate a disinhibited state in which people are less likely to hold back when making an effort.
When swearing really helps
The results show that swearing may not work by adding physical strengthbut helping people overcome hesitation in moments of effort. A well-timed swear word can help loosen social and internal restrictions for a short time, making it easier for you to stay engaged and overcome discomfort.
“These results help explain why swearing is so common,” Stevens said. “Before is literally a calorie-neutral, drug-free, inexpensive and easily accessible tool that is at our disposal when we need to increase productivity.”
Researchers are now exploring whether the same effect applies beyond physics tasks. Future research will examine whether swearing can help in situations where performance depends on confidence rather than strength—such as public speaking or the beginning of a romantic interaction—moments when people often hesitate as much as they do under physical stress.
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Article sources
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