Language and Amygdala Hijack

Cultural practices acknowledge taboo words. Taboo words are words or phrases that are constrained because of social norms. In English, taboo words are classified into three categories: First is dirty words. They are concerned about sex and excretion such as bugger and shit. Second is words related to the Christian religion such as Christ and Jesus. Third is words that are used in animal abuse. In other words, we call a person by the name of an animal, such as bitch. 

Bilinguals may have different degree of emotionality for L1 and L2. In some cases, bilinguals tend to have a stronger emotion when speaking or listening taboo words in their first language compared to their second language. Some show greater ease in expressing taboo words in their second language. This is applicable if their second language is acquired early. In this context, AoA (age of acquisition) plays a significant role to what extent the second language speaker uses their first or second language in expressing their emotionality. First and second language is argued to lead to differences in emotionality. 

Keeping that issue in mind, everyone can reflect personal experiences in employing taboo words including in cursing. I, who speak four languages well, Madurese, Javanese, Bahasa Indonesia, and English, have different degree of emotionality in using or listening to cursing. Within my speech community, Javanese is most frequently used so is Javanese cursing. I have exposed to and lived in a supportive environment in that language since 2000. But when I heard other people or friends of mine cursing in Javanese to date, regardless to whom the cursing is addressed, degree of emotionality tends to be low. In other words, listening to that (stressful) expression does not trigger me to anger or motivate me to respond in the same way. Unlikelihood, its impact is even getting stronger when applying or listening to English cursing. 

When using English language (shit for instance), basically I have a stronger emotion to a certain state such as anger. I can feel how bad it is to curse people in that way. Simultaneously, I strongly believe that the listener may have low emotionality to English so that I also believe that its impact could be low as well, not to say nothing. Therefore, I prefer to use English instead of L1 to curse to minimize 'fire explosion'. 

It is also important to note that setting influences how strong or weak the emotion where taboo words are uttered. In a certain area such as in Surabaya, East Java, taboo words in L1 could be daily consumption. Those may have no crucial impacts psychologically for both speakers and listeners compared to other regions such as in Western parts of East Java, such as Tulungagung and Trenggalek. Likelihood, this expresses a form of intimacy. It is very common to use "cok" as the opening conversation (Cok, tekko ndi ae? / Where have you been?). 

Why are taboo words are constrained in most of societies? Research shows that taboo words activate the amygdala and other brain structures that mediate the arousal that accompanies detection of threat (LaBar & Phelp, 1998). Amygdala hijack, coined by Daniel Goleman, Psychologist, is a part of the brain that involves in emotional processes or to describe an immediate, overwhelming emotional response out of proportion to the stimulus because it has triggered a more significant emotional threat (Guy-Evans, 2023). It also helps to store memories of events and emotions as to people can recognize similar events in the future. When this is active, triggered by fear, anxiety, aggression, and anger or pleasure, fight-or-flight response evolves. 

amygdala hijack images - Search Images (bing.com)

The notion could be even much cleaner to describe when people curse or use taboo language, the speakers' emotion are overwhelmed. The more the taboo words are in play, losing temper could be out of control. In the same way, the information (taboo words) is also processed by the listener as a threat. Once it is perceived to be serious, the logical reasoning processed in the frontal lobe, could be taken over. Once a serious attack perceived, amygdala is getting more active. Therefore, it is logical to argue why the listener can then respond the curse or taboo words in the same way, called, fight (for survival or self-defend mechanism). But also, the listener can basically flee to clean their nose (to stay away from trouble), called flight. 

Thalamus understands that in some threatening conditions, involving logical reasonings would waste time. Therefore, the thalamus bypasses the cortex and projects straight to the amygdala, hoping an instant action to prevent the treat (Guy-Evans, 2023). However, if the threat is considered to not serious, the frontal lobes take control. It means that stimulus can be responded in a thought-out way. 

Cursing in some cultural backgrounds is considered to be taboo. In general, it could be due to that it is unpleasant to be heard or generate negative emotion and pump stress hormone. In brain studies, this cultural practice is psycholinguistically proven that taboo words or cursing or other negative words activate amygdala hijack. Consequently, both speakers and listener can lose temper easily or cannot give a logical response to a stimulus. Interestingly, the competition the frontal lobe and amygdala (being able think rationally and lose temper simultaneously) lead to a highlighted response: swing curse. The notion refers to the shortening of the taboo words or cursing, normally the first syllables are only taken and followed by relevant syllables that make up a meaningful word that is not meant to be. In English context for instance, people use SUGAR instead of SHIT in a road rage and JAMBUL instead of JANCUK in Javanese. In that way, the speaker is still able to express their (extreme) anger but loosen that his/her bad emotionality to a certain condition overwhelming him/her. He/she can be rational and emotional at the same time. 

References:

Guy-Evans, O. (2023). Amygdala hijack: how it works, signs, & how to cope. Retrieved at April 25, 2024, from Amygdala Hijack: How It Works, Signs, & How To Cope (simplypsychology.org). 

LaBar. K., S. & Phelps, E., A. (1998). Arousal-mediated memory consolidation: Role of the medial temporal lobe in humans. Psychological Science. 9,490-493.