No, we’re not encouraging a full-blown filthy mouth, but according to a recent study, it’s not exactly a bad thing to use swear words. In fact, psychologist Richard Stephens detailed numerous benefits to cursing in his book Black Sheep: The Hidden Benefits of Being Bad and we couldn’t be more intrigued. First off, swearing reportedly correlates with a high IQ, which was determined in a study that asked participants to list as many neutral and curse words as they could. (Researchers found those who listed the most negative words also listed the most neutral words.) But that’s not all: Apparently swearing can be a sign of social comfort (even politeness! WTF?) and can contribute to the completion of intense physical tasks such as a tough workout. Here, discover all the ways swearing can be good for you. Well, s*&^.
