Why Some People Just Can't Hold Their Tongues

July 21, 2005 -- Some people may be naturally better at avoiding social blunders than others. But new research shows that even the best of us may sometimes be prone to an occasional case of foot in mouth disease.

"The dinner party guest who puts his foot in his mouth could lack a crucial mental ability that stops the rest of us from blurting out our true feelings," says researcher Bill von Hippel, a psychologist at of the University of New South Wales in Australia, in a news release.

"Many people may be unable to inhibit the tendency to blurt things out even when they know the rules of social behavior and want to behave appropriately," says Hippel.

But the study also suggests that people who are normally good at holding their tongues may be more likely to slip up when they're feeling tired, distracted, or under stress.

Chicken Foot in Mouth Disease

In the study, researchers evaluated the ability of a group of 71 undergraduate students to avoid putting their foot in their mouth under various circumstances. Their results appear in the journal Psychological Science.

First, researchers determined the students' natural ability to hold their tongues - called inhibitory ability -- by using a test that measures the ability to suppress irrelevant or inappropriate thoughts.

Their ability to behave appropriately in social situations was assessed by asking the students to eat a chicken's foot under either high or low social pressure.

In the high-pressure situation, the students were served the chicken foot by a Chinese woman who described it as the national dish of China and her personal favorite. In the low-pressure situation, the group was served the dish by a non-Chinese woman who described it only as Chinese food.

Benefits of Keeping Your Trap Shut

"People who responded most negatively to the chicken foot dish under high social pressure turned out to be those who also performed worst on the inhibitory ability test," says von Hippel. "They were much more likely to make a disapproving face and a negative statement such as: 'That's bloody revolting!'"

But researchers say people with good inhibitory ability were also more likely to put their foot in their mouths when they were distracted by another task or under pressure.

"It's likely that people who can inhibit their true feelings in a challenging social situation have a greater chance in succeeding in jobs requiring a high degree of social etiquette, such as international diplomacy. But even experienced career diplomats may find it increasingly difficult to act appropriately if they are distracted or fatigued, or as they grow older," says von Hippel.