Emotional
arousal makes us better at swearing
People swear more
colourfully when they are in a emotionally aroused state. This suggests that
swearing is closely related to emotion.
This is the finding of
a research project, funded by the British Psychological Society's 2013
Undergraduate Research Assistantship Scheme, by Amy Zile and Dr Richard
Stephens from Keele University.
Amy Zile said:
"There is still uncertainty as to why people swear. Is it due to not being
articulate and low IQ or it is a form of emotional expression? If it is a form
of emotional expression then understanding the processes involved is an
important part of understanding human emotion.
Our study found that
when we raised people's emotional arousal level they became more proficient at
swearing such that they were able to produce a greater number of different
swear words and expressions in a one-minute period. This provides experimental
support for the theory that swearing is emotional language."
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The above story is
based on materials provided by British Psychological Society (BPS). Note: Materials may be edited for
content and length.
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British Psychological
Society (BPS). "Emotional arousal makes us better at swearing." Science Daily,
6 May 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140506204040.htm>.
