Chapter 3, Problem 25P

Stephens, Atkins, and Kingston (2009) conducted a

research study demonstrating that swearing can help

reduce pain. In the study, each participant was asked

to plunge a hand into icy water and keep it there as

long as the pain would allow. In one condition, the

participants repeatedly yelled their favorite curse

words while their hands were in the water. In the other

condition the participants yelled a neutral word. Data

similar to the results obtained in the study are shown

in the following table. Calculate the mean number of

seconds that the participants could tolerate the pain for

each of the two treatment conditions. Does it appear

that swearing helped with pain tolerance?

Amount of Time (in seconds}

l	94	59
2	70	61
3	52	47
4	83	60
5	46	35
6	117	92
7	69	53
8	39	30
9	51	56
10	73	6]