# Swearing enhances manual dexterity

## TL;DR

Swearing before a task can improve manual dexterity, but the exact reasons are not yet clear.

## Contribution

This study is the first to show that swearing can enhance manual dexterity performance.

## Key findings

- Swearing improved performance on the Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test.
- Swearing also improved performance on the Nine-Hole Peg Test.
- No differences in state disinhibition were observed between swearing and neutral conditions.

## Abstract

Swearing, or the use of taboo language, has been linked to increased psychological flow, self-confidence, and state disinhibition, raising the possibility that it may function as a psychological warm-up to enhance fine motor skills. This study investigated whether repeating a swear word, compared to a neutral word, improves manual dexterity. Two randomized, repeated-measures experiments were conducted. Experiment #1 (n = 61) assessed manual dexterity using the Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test (MMDT) and state disinhibition via the Stop-Signal Reaction Test (SSRT). Experiment #2 (n = 42) used the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT) and examined the moderating role of daily swearing frequency. In both experiments, participants repeated a self-selected swear or neutral word for 15 s before performing the dexterity task. Swearing significantly improved performance on both the MMDT (p < 0.001, η2p = 0.268) and the 9-HPT (p = 0.036, η2p = 0.105). However, no differences in state disinhibition were observed between conditions, and daily swearing frequency did not moderate the effects. These findings suggest swearing enhances manual dexterity, but mediating and moderating factors remains unclear.