Earlier today Chris presented to a packed out Neuromethods meeting, seeking approval to use the equipment within the Centre of Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics (CINN)for an upcoming study he wishes to run. Anybody wishing to use the equipment in CINN has to go through this protocol approval process whereby they have to present an outline of what they are planning, before being questioned by those in attendance as to the methods they plan to use, the justification for the prediction(s) they are hypothesising, and the timeline they expect the study to take.
Under the title ‘The Taboo Time Machine’ Chris spoke for 20 minutes, running through all the required details for an upcoming study based in the pain lab that is specifically looking to investigate the role of time perception in the effect of swearing on pain. Starting with the background to the study, Chris outlined the existing knowledge and how the study expanded upon that, he then took those attending in-person and online through the results of his previous investigation into the effects of swearing on time perception before linking that previous research into the planned, upcoming study.
Having created the foundation, Chris then ran the audience through the methodology he plans to use, the ground work he has already done around the counterbalancing of conditions required to safeguard the study results from any unwanted confounds skewing results, and what results he expected to see. Obviously, we can’t give away too many details of that here as we don’t want to spoil the results by giving away what we’re expecting to happen!
Upon finishing his presentation, Chris then faced about 35 minutes of questions. These primarily focused on specific word choices and methodological considerations based upon the use of expressive swearing (i.e., having people repeat a (swear) word out loud). There were also numerous questions about swearing as a research topic, generally; the topic grabbing people’s attention and curiosity.
After answering all the questions from the floor, the Protocol Approval Committee (who were attending in the room) met to discuss whether they felt the study met the requirements needed to be allowed to use the equipment in CINN. With a resounding, yes, being the answer.
Now that the study has approval to use the equipment in CINN, ethical clearance to run the study has been sort from the University of Reading’s research ethics committee. Once this has been granted recruitment can begin, so keep an on the website for more details of what is involved, and how you can take part as we expect data collection to start late December 2025 / early January 2026.