PROFANITY ’ S RELATION TO PERSONALITY AND IMPULSIVITY Jasmin Mokbel

1. PROFANITY’S RELATION TO PERSONALITY AND IMPULSIVITY Jasmin Mokbel Mentor: Dr. Chrysalis L. Wright University of Central Florida Discussion The results of the study significantly indicated that over half of the participants reported their mothers to be the highest source of exposure to swear words over external variables, such as the media influences. These results did not support the first initial hypothesis that exposure first happens from an external source (mass media outlets) rather than a familiar source (family member). Also, the most common exposure to swear words prior to five years old was in elementary school. The majority of participants reported almost always swearing several times daily, especially among peers. Impulsivity was positively correlated with personality characteristics of neuroticism and swearing acceptance, and swearing acceptance had a positive relationship with the participants’ openness. Meaning that the more impulsive a participant ranked they tended to rank higher on neuroticism and swearing acceptance. These results support the second hypothesis that extroverted personality types would be more likely to engage in the use of profanity, since impulsivity and neuroticism are common characteristics of extroverts. Religious importance seemed to be the strongest predictor of different levels of swearing in the linear regression analyses. The current study is significant considering the application of the results provide the scientific community with data that measures the harmfulness of swearing, if it is bad for children to swear or hear swear words, and the amount and frequency of swear words said by individuals. Future research investigating these relationships is needed to adequately determine the cause. Background Info There are many unfounded assumptions on the use of swear words that are not based on research. For instance, it is assumed that media plays an influential role in exposing children to swear words. Even though implications of harm from swearing through media sources have yet to be proven, censorship on such sources have been put in place as means of prevention. Without certainty of the implications of swearing and the source of which profanity is initially introduced to a child, funding for prevention may not be adequately placed in the sources a child is actually being exposed to such stimuli (Jay & Janschewitz, 2012). Swearing, however, is common within cable television programming, occurring in 9 out of 10 shows at least once every five minutes (Kaye & Sapolsky, 2009). There is concern about anti-social penalties from the media introducing adolescents to offensive language. Researchers found that there were minimal effects, determining children under the age of twelve are unlikely to even comprehend such language (Jay, 2009). Considering the high usage frequency of swear words among the public and the varying misconceptions about the influence of swear words, research in this area is needed. Swearing across cultures can be categorized on seven levels: names sacred to religious symbols (e.g., angels, demons), labels tied to important events in religion and places, names of holy icons, words relating to the future, vulgar references, and phrases (Patrick, 1901). A person may swear when they are punished or feel wronged in some way. Their natural reaction is to release the emotion or built up tension caused by the incident through the expression of words. Internalizing those emotions at that time and expressing them in words may help avoid immediate physical violence (Jay, 2009). Results Correlation analysis indicated that there was a significant negative correlation between the impulsivity and level of conscientiousness, agreeableness, social construction of swearing, and current amount of swearing. Six linear regression analyses were conducted to determine how gender, personality characteristics, religiosity, and exposure to swear words while growing up combine to best predict the use of swear words, the acceptability of swear words, the social construction of the use of swear words, how often one publicly and privately swears, frequency at which one swears in front of family, and families view on swearing. Results can be found in Tale 1. Results indicated that importance of religion impacted how often participants’ swore in public. Extraversion and exposure of swear words from actors/actresses and participants’ mother was related to swearing in private. Participants’ race, level of openness, importance of religion, and exposure to swear words from participants’ mother and TV were related to swearing in front of family members. Participant gender and age, level of openness, level of impulsivity, religious importance, and exposure to swearing from participants’ mother, TV, and actors/actresses were related to families level of acceptance of swearing. Participant gender and age, level of agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and impulsivity, religious importance, and exposure to swearing from participants’ mother, TV actors/actresses, and music were related to participants’ acceptance of swearing. Level of conscientiousness and impulsivity were found to impact participant’s social construction of swearing. Table 1. Regression Coefficients Method Data was collected from 818 college students who answered questions via online surveys. Fifty-five participants were deleted from the study because their responses indicated that they were not involved with the survey or they did not answer important questions in the study (final n = 763). All participants were recruited through psychology courses and received research credit or class extra credit for their participation. There were a total of 8 measures used in this study: 1)The Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, & Sensation Impulsive Behavior Scale (UPPS-P) 2) Personality Traits: The Big Five Inventory (BFI) 3) Religiosity. Nine items were used to assess participant’s level of religiosity 4) Swearing exposure: Eighteen questions were used that determined the level of exposure to swear words 5) Swearing history: Fourteen items were used to assess participants’ history with using swear words 6) Acceptable use of swears words: Twenty items asked participants to rate how strongly they agree with using swear words in certain situations 7) Social construction of swears words: Participants were given ten scenarios, developed for the current study, in which they were asked to determine if the use of a swear word occurred, 8) Demographic questionnaire: Items assessed age, race, ethnicity, gender, year in college, biological parents’ current marital status, economic hardship while growing up, and current relationship status * p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001