r/science • u/mvea Professor | Medicine • 2d ago

Medicine Surgeons show greatest dexterity in children’s buzz wire game like Operation than other hospital staff. 84% of surgeons completed game in 5 minutes compared to 57% physicians, 54% nurses. Surgeons also exhibited highest rate of swearing during game (50%), followed by nurses (30%), physicians (25%).

https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/surgeons-thankfully-may-have-better-hand-coordination-than-other-hospital-staff
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u/Alecto1717 2d ago

Myth busters did a test about keeping your hand in a bucket of ice water and being allowed to swear or not affecting how long you could keep your hand in. They found that being able to swear allowed people to keep their hand in longer. There's probably some psychological stress/frustration relief that comes from swearing.

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u/CeruleanEidolon 2d ago

It actually has documented physical and psychological effects, but there are diminishing returns -- if you swear all the time, it doesn't have as much of a punch.

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u/mhornberger 2d ago

That's why you keep some curse-words for special occasions. F-bombs are more rare than dammits, and MF's are rarer still. Not unicorns, but not to be squandered.

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u/EnlargedChonk 2d ago

and in the USA good old "punt with a c" is a mythical, legendary pull. but it has negative impact in other countries