Why We Swear, And The Benefits Of It

Children begin to swear by age six or seven, and on average, adults swear 10 times per day. While it may seem taboo, or rude, research suggests swearing may be a sign of a high IQ.

Psychologist Richard Stephens of Keele University believes that swearing could help us “be better at things like lifting weights, and dealing with pain,” he said in the article. In a recent study, he explained, participants who used swear words while keeping their hands in ice water were able to hold their hands in the cold 40 seconds longer, on average, than those who didn’t swear.

Cussing can also help express emotions and show passion, said Neils Eek, psychologist. "Swearing can sometimes also allow us to talk about taboo subjects, such as sex and religion, that we would otherwise be uncomfortable discussing,” he said.

There are five basic ways in which humans use swear words: descriptively, adjectivally, abusively, emphatically, and cathartically.

However, swearing varies in different cultures. For example, hand gestures (like an OK sign in America), can be offensive and cross in different countries (like Brazil, where it’s on par with flipping the middle finger).