![]() ![]() One theory about why trash talk works to throw people off their game is that it leverages a fear of social isolation, of ostracization, of being kicked out of the tribe. You’re reinforcing who we are and who they are. When you talk crap about a rival, you’re reinforcing a sense of identity. When you look at the role trash talk plays in creating tribal bonds, it has very clear applications in creating a sense of us versus them. What do experts think might be the evolutionary roots of trash talk? By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. Scientific American spoke to Kohan about what is behind the science of trash talk, why trash talk works on some people and not others and what it can teach us about resilience in the face of stress and anxiety. But Kohan thinks that landing a well-timed and expertly calculated “your mama” joke is an art form-and one that deserves a more scientific look into how it functions. Trash talk doesn’t have a reputation for being a particularly respectable form of communication. Today Donald Trump’s normalization of trash talk has been correlated with spikes in hate crimes and the number of threats to sitting members of Congress in both parties. It’s a ubiquitous human behavior that spans cultures, countries and centuries-a stealthy psychological tool deployed by politicians, comedians and business leaders alike. But in Trash Talk: The Only Book about Destroying Your Rivals That Isn’t Total Garbage (PublicAffairs, 2023), author Rafi Kohan explains that trash talk is far more than just “verbal static.”Īt its most basic level, Kohan says, trash talk is a language of competition. Trash-talking-the act of slinging insults-is perhaps most pervasive in sports, where athletes deploy their best taunting tactics in an attempt to deflate their opponent and gain an advantage. ![]()
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