Some Insults Hurt More Than Others
Dr. Paul Siakaluk, lead author of a study on the impact of insults published in an international journal
Prince George, BC – Recent research at the University of Northern BC casts doubt on the age-old adage, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me’.
The results of a collaborative project involving a researcher at the University of Calgary, two UNBC students, and UNBC Psychology Professor, Dr. Paul Siakaluk, show that when it comes to name-calling, at least as far as the English language is concerned: some pack more punch than others.
"Numbskull, butthead, and lame-brain outweigh idiot, moron, and imbecile, in terms of tripping people up a bit," says Dr. Siakaluk, lead author of the study that was published in the international journal, Language and Cognitive Processes.
Siakaluk says the study found participants attached more meaning to body-based insults based on their own bodily experience. For example, he says, "Calling someone a ‘numbskull’ conjures both knowledge of the place where mental processes occur, and the experience of, says, a foot or leg that’s fallen asleep and is defective, at least temporarily."
"Whereas ‘moron’ is just a word that, while we know it’s bad, we often don’t have such a personal relationship with it, so it can be easier to ignore."
Dr. Siakaluk says the next step in his research will involve testing embodied insults in other languages that don’t necessarily have such an abundance of body-based name-calling, such as French, which often uses more religious-based insults.
Comments
Wow. Totally the opposite of what I would have expected. To me, terms like numbskull, etc., would be used and taken in a joking manner. I can’t imagine that someone’s brain would actually take the time to break it down and analyze and personalize it. However, idiot, etc. have specific “dictionary” connotations that have been used for centuries. I would have thought those would be taken more seriously and be more upsetting to the participants. I would be curious to know the age of the participants. Perhaps age may be a factor in response, as the body-based insults are probably more “modern” and taken more seriously by younger participants.
Dr. Paul Siakaluk is smiling in this photo because he can’t believe taxpayers are funding such research.
So it took 4 people to figure out that insults hurt..
Eureka. And who says a degree in the social sciences isn’t a waste. Ll
Tenure breeds mediocrity.
I must be an idiot for willing paying taxes so that some butthead can give them to a bunch of numbskulls who can then make a great living determining whether calling me an idiot or butthead instead of a moron will hurt my feelings more!
What’s next?
Oops, silly stupid me! Pay my taxes, keep my mouth shut and hope that I don’t offend anyone!
Man I should have been a Teacher?
The next step is to investigate the religious connotations as suggested in the story above.
So I assume this will be used to distinguish between say calling someone a neo-con, or a far right, or a zionist, or other blurry lines that try to invoke a connection between religion and politics?
If so is it it an attempt to try and limit future free speech by granting immunity to political groups who claim religious affiliation as a shield to their own crimes against humanity that in most cases are far worse than the name calling they invoke? That seems to be the zionist MO… to claim they have the shield of religion, while being a purely political ideological movement designed to create a cult like atmosphere in which to control a society and its related events with a lose association to religion and ethnocentric identities.
Of course tax payers will fund this study and in the end tax payers will pay for it as well.
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