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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Swearing 'helps to reduce pain' | Swearing 'helps to reduce pain' |
| (3 days later) | |
| Uttering expletives when you hurt yourself is a sensible policy, according to scientists who have shown swearing can help reduce pain. | Uttering expletives when you hurt yourself is a sensible policy, according to scientists who have shown swearing can help reduce pain. |
| A study by Keele University researchers found volunteers who cursed at will could endure pain nearly 50% longer than civil-tongued peers. | A study by Keele University researchers found volunteers who cursed at will could endure pain nearly 50% longer than civil-tongued peers. |
| They believe swearing helps us downplay being hurt in favour of a more pain-tolerant machismo. | They believe swearing helps us downplay being hurt in favour of a more pain-tolerant machismo. |
| The work by Dr Richard Stephens' team appears in the journal NeuroReport. | The work by Dr Richard Stephens' team appears in the journal NeuroReport. |
| Dr Stephens, from Keele's school of psychology, came up with the idea for the study after swearing when he accidentally hit his thumb with a hammer as he built a garden shed. | Dr Stephens, from Keele's school of psychology, came up with the idea for the study after swearing when he accidentally hit his thumb with a hammer as he built a garden shed. |
| If they want to use this pain-lessening effect to their advantage they need to do less casual swearing Researcher Dr Richard Stephens | If they want to use this pain-lessening effect to their advantage they need to do less casual swearing Researcher Dr Richard Stephens |
| He recruited 64 volunteers to take part and each individual was asked to submerge their hand in a tub of freezing water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice. | He recruited 64 volunteers to take part and each individual was asked to submerge their hand in a tub of freezing water for as long as possible while repeating a swear word of their choice. |
| They were then asked to repeat the experiment, this time using a more commonplace word that they would use to describe a table. | They were then asked to repeat the experiment, this time using a more commonplace word that they would use to describe a table. |
| Despite their initial expectations, the researchers found that the volunteers were able to keep their hands plunged in the ice water for a longer period of time when repeating the swear word. | Despite their initial expectations, the researchers found that the volunteers were able to keep their hands plunged in the ice water for a longer period of time when repeating the swear word. |
| Natural response | Natural response |
| On average, the students could tolerate the pain for nearly two minutes when swearing compared with only one minute and 15 seconds when they refrained from using expletives. | On average, the students could tolerate the pain for nearly two minutes when swearing compared with only one minute and 15 seconds when they refrained from using expletives. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| While it is not clear how or why this link exists, the team believes that the pain-lessening effect occurs because swearing triggers our natural 'fight-or-flight' response. | While it is not clear how or why this link exists, the team believes that the pain-lessening effect occurs because swearing triggers our natural 'fight-or-flight' response. |
| They suggest that the accelerated heart rates of the volunteers repeating the swear word may indicate an increase in aggression, in a classic fight-or-flight response of downplaying a weakness or threat in order to deal with it. | They suggest that the accelerated heart rates of the volunteers repeating the swear word may indicate an increase in aggression, in a classic fight-or-flight response of downplaying a weakness or threat in order to deal with it. |
| Dr Stephens said the findings might also explain why the centuries-old practice of cursing developed and still persists today. | Dr Stephens said the findings might also explain why the centuries-old practice of cursing developed and still persists today. |
| But he cautioned: "If they want to use this pain-lessening effect to their advantage they need to do less casual swearing. | But he cautioned: "If they want to use this pain-lessening effect to their advantage they need to do less casual swearing. |
| "Swearing is emotional language but if you overuse it, it loses its emotional attachment." | "Swearing is emotional language but if you overuse it, it loses its emotional attachment." |
| Rohan Byrt of the Casual Swearing Appreciation Society said he thought the study was the first time swearing's benefits had been proved. | Rohan Byrt of the Casual Swearing Appreciation Society said he thought the study was the first time swearing's benefits had been proved. |