Beck Venja, Brooks Joseph L, Stephens Richard
Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (IIS), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
School of Psychology, Keele University, Staffs, UK.
Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2025 Jan 13:17470218241308560. doi: 10.1177/17470218241308560.
Swearing has been linked to increased strength performance, and state disinhibition may be the mechanism linking swearing and strength. Error-related negativity (ERN) is a neural signal associated with response monitoring. Its reduction has been proposed as neural marker for state disinhibition, and therefore, we predicted that swearing would lead to a decreased ERN compared with neutral word repetition, indicating state disinhibition. The study ( = 52) used a within-subjects experimental design with two conditions. Participants repeated either a swear or neutral word aloud for 10 s before engaging in an arrowhead flanker task, a grip strength task, and several questionnaires. ERN was measured continually using electroencephalography (EEG). The study replicated previously found effects of swearing on strength, humour, positive emotion, and distraction. In addition, swearing was found to have a significant effect on state behavioural activation (BAS drive). However, results indicated no significant difference between conditions on ERN amplitude. This pre-registered study has confirmed that, relative to a neutral word, repeating a swear word leads to increased performance on a grip strength task while also confirming effects of swearing on positive emotion, humour, and distraction. Its novel contribution is confirming that swearing raises state behavioural activation. This supports application of Hirsh et al.'s state disinhibition theory to swearing to some extent, although the absence of any effect of swearing on ERN limits this interpretation.
咒骂已被证明与力量表现的增强有关，而状态去抑制可能是连接咒骂与力量的机制。错误相关负波（ERN）是一种与反应监测相关的神经信号。其降低已被提议作为状态去抑制的神经标志物，因此，我们预测与重复中性词相比，咒骂会导致ERN降低，这表明状态去抑制。该研究（n = 52）采用了包含两种条件的被试内实验设计。参与者在进行箭头侧翼任务、握力任务和几份问卷之前，大声重复一个咒骂词或中性词10秒。使用脑电图（EEG）持续测量ERN。该研究重复了先前发现的咒骂对力量、幽默、积极情绪和注意力分散的影响。此外，发现咒骂对状态行为激活（BAS驱力）有显著影响。然而，结果表明在ERN振幅方面两种条件之间没有显著差异。这项预先注册的研究证实，相对于中性词，重复咒骂词会导致握力任务表现提高，同时也证实了咒骂对积极情绪、幽默和注意力分散的影响。其新颖贡献在于证实咒骂会提高状态行为激活。这在一定程度上支持了赫什等人的状态去抑制理论在咒骂方面的应用，尽管咒骂对ERN没有任何影响限制了这种解释。
