The Claim
In healthy young adults performing a 30-second Wingate anaerobic cycling test, verbal encouragement containing swearing from a female researcher is associated with a 3% reduction in average power output among male participants, while female participants show no change in average power output.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
When male participants hear a female researcher use swearing during a short, intense cycling test, their average power output drops by 3% compared to other forms of encouragement; female participants' performance does not change under the same conditions.
See the scientific wording
In healthy young adults performing a 30-second Wingate anaerobic cycling test, verbal encouragement containing swearing from a female researcher is associated with a 3% reduction in average power output among males, while female performance remains unchanged, suggesting that the social context of the encourager's gender and language may inhibit maximal effort in male participants.
When a man hears a woman use strong language during intense effort, his brain activates areas that monitor social norms, which suppresses the signals telling his muscles to push harder. This makes him produce less power without changing how hard he feels he is trying.
What the research says
1 studyStudy: The Effect of Verbal Encouragement with Swearing on High Intensity Exercise Performance
When a woman uses strong language to cheer on men during a short, all-out bike test, the men tend to pedal less hard—maybe because it feels weird or uncomfortable. But when she cheers the same way at women, their performance doesn’t change.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.