Have you ever snarkily wondered if the person across the room with a sailor’s mouth might not be capable of piecing together a real sentence? Well, it might be true in some cases, but definitely not all. Throwing the occasional swear word into your vocabulary can improve your mood and may actually make you a little sharper. Check out the cool science behind profanity, attitude and intelligence.
Larger Vocabulary
Studies show that swearers actually tend to have a more extensive vocabulary than people who keep their language cleaner. It’s easy to assume some people swear because they can’t think of better words to use, but that’s often not the case. People also tend to swear more often when discussing certain types of subject matter over others, with their vocabularies shifting depending on the conversation.
More Effective and Honest Communicators
Additionally, it turns out that people who swear are more honest and consistent than those who don’t curse at all. Think about the last time you used swear words. You were probably being true to yourself and your emotions at the time.
There’s very little room for interpretation of someone’s feelings when they swear. Maybe you don’t agree with them, but you definitely get the message. And that’s the point, cursing is an effective way of communicating, even if it’s sometimes seen as crude. Intelligent people are effective communicators, and swearing is simply another tool they use to get their message across.
Better Mental Health = Better Cognitive Performance
Studies show that some people swear as a form of stress management. That’s right, swearing can be therapeutic. Think about how you felt the last time you uttered a few undisclosed expletives at something that was upsetting. Maybe you felt relieved by getting out some pent-up frustration!
Some people who swear all the time might seem like they’re bursting at the seams with anger and resentment, but those doing the swearing often see it as another form of expression. And sometimes, it just feels good to curse.
People have their preferred way to express themselves. You’ve undoubtedly found something that works for you, but consider tossing in a few swear words here and there. You’ll probably feel a little better, and maybe even a little smarter.
