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Bad Grammar Can Physically Stress People Out, Study Finds

Author Kayla Morgan

Have you ever caught yourself wincing at a text message with poor grammar or an email riddled with typos? You’re not alone. Turns out, it’s not just annoyance. Apparently, bad grammar can stir up our emotions in a big way. Research even suggests that hearing bad grammar can kick-start our “fight-or-flight” response.

In a study titled “Heart Rate Variability and Language Knowledge” published in the Journal of Neurolinguistics, Professors Dagmar Divjak and Professor Petar Milin from the University of Birmingham found a link between bad grammar and changes in people’s heart rate variability (HRV).

HRV measures the time between heartbeats, which tends to vary when a person is relaxed but becomes more regular when stressed. The study discovered that encountering grammatical errors led to a significant reduction in HRV, indicating increased stress levels. Simply put, the more grammar mistakes people encounter, the more their heartbeats become regular, signifying higher stress.

Hearing Bad Grammar

The study involved 41 English-speaking adults wearing heart rate sensors on their fingers. They listened to 40 English speech samples, and half of them had grammar errors, like adding “a/an” where not needed or leaving out “the.”

Their findings revealed that when people heard incorrect grammar, their heart rate variability (HRV) decreased significantly. Essentially, the more mistakes they heard, the steadier their heartbeat became, indicating higher stress levels.

“The results of this study bring into focus a new dimension of the intricate relationship between physiology and cognition… Our findings show that [the ANS], too, responds to cognitive demands, and this suggests that cognitive effort reverberates through the physiological system in more ways than previously thought,” said Divjak.

The researchers think that HRV could be a sign of a person’s unspoken knowledge of a language that is the kind we naturally learn without conscious effort. If someone’s heart rate shows they get stressed by bad grammar, it could mean they have a good grasp of the language.

Take a look at the full study and more of their findings here.

Here Are the 20 Most Common Passwords Leaked on the Dark Web - Change Yours Now!

You might think your favorite password is really easy to remember. But if it’s too easy, chances are it’s not very secure. Mobile security firm Lookout recently published a tally of the 20 most commonly found passwords in leaked account information on the dark web. As you would expect, many of the passwords are a variation of “12345,” while others are as simple as “Iloveyou.” With passwords like that, you’re putting yourself at risk to get hacked.

We get it: you want a password that is easy to recall. According to NordPass, the average person has more than 100 different online accounts that utilize passwords. It’s hard to remember all of those. But, make sure those passwords aren’t too easy to hack.

One idea is keeping an old-fashioned notebook – yeah, that thing with paper wound into a binder – with all of your passwords in a secure place. And, switch up the characters, using numbers, letters and symbols.

  • These are the 20 most common passwords leaked on the dark web

    The list is via mobile security firm Lookout.

  • 1. 123456

    This is literally the easiest password ever. Do people really use this?

  • 2. 123456789

    Taking the easiest password and adding a few more digits..as if that makes it any more difficult to figure out!

  • 3. Qwerty

    This one caught me by surprise. Why is this such a popular password choice?

  • 4. Password

    You have to be kidding me.

  • 5. 12345

    Another super easy one.

  • 6. 12345678

    Notice how so many of these are just variations of 12345?

  • 7. 111111

    I can’t imagine anyone using this as their password, but it’s apparently very popular.

  • 8. 1234567

    Another variation of 12345.

  • 9. 123123

    At least this one switches up the number order a little. But still!

  • 10. Qwerty123

    Now we’re getting complicated. Not, really.

  • 11. 1q2w3e

    This actually doesn’t look like a super easy password to me, but it’s obviously based off the keyboard, so I can see why it’s easy to crack.

  • 12. 1234567890

    One more based on 12345.

  • 13. DEFAULT

    LOL.

  • 14. 0

    You cannot be serious. Don’t most password systems prevent a password like this, anyway?

  • 15. Abc123

    Are we in grade school?

  • 16. 654321

    Descending.

  • 17. 123321

    Another super easy one.

  • 18. Qwertyuiop

    Probably the most complicated on on here.

  • 19. Iloveyou

    Very sweet- but not a good password.

  • 20. 666666

    All you kids who think it’s cool to use “666” for anything won’t think it’s too cool when you get hacked!

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.

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Author Kayla Morgan
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