We recently stumbled on an academic article that outlined the psychological underpinnings and uses of cursing.
While it was based on a study done in a hospital, it got us thinking about the purposes and roles of the “bad words” we hear with great frequency in the trading and conference rooms of Wall Street.
A quick trip through the literature throws off several key observations about why and how humans use curses in their daily communications.
Good news first: cursing is very helpful in dealing with pain. So if you need a little help holding onto a losing position that you just KNOW is right, let the bombs fly (while maintaining a respectful discourse to those around you, of course).
Bad news, though: “bad words” have a lot of power, even in today’s society. Since they come from your emotional core, they will betray feelings you may want to keep to yourself. The “f-bomb” may be more a window to your soul than you realize.
See the attached full report for additional details and further information.
Nicholas Colas is Chief Market Strategist at ConvergEx Group