Hypoalgesic Effect, Effect Of Reducing Pain Sensation Due To Swearing

Illustration of headache and screaming (Pexels / Andrea Piacquadio)

JAKARTA - Ethically, swearing is not polite. Various scientific studies, especially in the field of psychology, also contradict swearing. Moreover, this bad activity has been found in several studies to reduce the sensation of pain.

Richard Stephens, a psychologist and author of the book Black Sheep: The Hidden Benefits of Being Bad explores the basic question 'why swearing is considered a maladaptive response, when swearing is a response to pain in general'.

Stepens' research involved 67 students at Keele University, Stanfordshire, England. Stephen asked the participating students to put their hands into cold water and test based on the endurance of time and record the relevant swear words with the table he had previously made.

Stephens' trial allowed student participants to say one swear word, one neutral word, and a random order of dipping hands. That is, they do not prepare themselves not to say maladaptive words.

The expletive word table was made based on another trial. Stephens asked participants to register five words when the hammer touched their thumb. The second table is the equivalent of the first table.

As a result, 50 percent of the participants who cursed their hands stayed in cold water longer. Not only that, when they cursed their heart rate increased but their perception of pain decreased.

Reported by Wired, Stephens explained about the sensation of pain from his scientific background, psychology.

“Pain used to be considered a purely biological phenomenon, but in fact pain is very psychological. "The same level of injury would be more or less painful under different circumstances," said Stephens.

The way we respond to physical injury is influenced by our condition, personality, mood, and even previous pain. The study didn't want to conclude about the emotional changes in participants when swearing, said Stephens.

Like other psychologists, Stephens tracks changes in heart rate and the natural response of resistance or surrender. Increased heart rate also indicates the progressive level of a person. That is, does increased aggression make a person more resilient?

Other studies have answered that question. Kristin Neil and colleagues at the University of Georgia looked at whether there was a link between the level of aggression and how much pain you could tolerate.

Although Neil's research was inaccurate, some of the findings from the games he made found that the two things above were correlated.

The hypoalgesic effect is known as the hypoalgesic effect. According to Stephens, several variables that influence the positive effect of swearing are intensity.

The more cursing, the lower the effect.