Archive · 29 Dec 2025
Swearing May Boost Confidence and Performance
A new study found that swearing can help people push themselves harder and perform better in physical tasks.
Researchers asked people to do push-ups while saying swear words or neutral words.
Those who swore could support their body weight longer.
The study suggests that swearing helps by making people feel more confident, focused, and less inhibited.
This means they can put in more effort and overcome their own mental limits.
The benefits of swearing might be useful in sports, rehabilitation, and situations where courage or assertiveness is needed.
Swearing is like a free, easy tool to help people perform better without any side effects.
Swearing during physical tasks can boost performance by increasing self-confidence and focus.
Participants in the study who swore could support their body weight longer during push-ups.
The psychological mechanism behind swearing's benefits includes disinhibition and increased psychological flow.
Previous studies have shown that swearing can enhance physical performance in various challenges.
The findings suggest potential applications in athletic performance, rehabilitation, and situations requiring courage or assertiveness.
- Who
- Richard Stephens and his research team
- What
- A study on the effects of swearing on physical performance and psychological states
- When
- Published in the journal American Psychologist
- Where
- Keele University, UK
- Why
- To understand the psychological mechanism behind swearing's effects on performance
- Study Author
- Richard Stephens, Keele University
- Journal
- American Psychologist
- Participants
- 192 people
- Task
- Chair push-ups with swearing or neutral words
- Key Findings
- Swearing increased body weight support time and psychological flow
- Mechanism
- Disinhibition, increased self-confidence, and focus
- Potential Applications
- Athletic performance, rehabilitation, courage, assertiveness