The Effects of Pessimism, Anxiety, and the Use of Profanity on Gender

Indianapolis, IN

Profanity in one form or another has always been a part of languages. Past research has focused on how profanity influences and is influenced by our emotions. This study extends this research by examining pessimism, anxiety, and gender as predictors of the use of profanity. Specifically, we are measuring the amount of pessimism and anxiety that some people have to see if there is a positive association with the amount of profanity the individual uses and whether or not gender plays a role in this relationship. The data will be collected through a self-report survey consisting of Likert scale questions. Surveys were administered to a sample (n = 332) of individuals ranging in age from 18 to 82. We expect to find that pessimism, anxiety, and gender will interact to predict levels of profanity.