In American politics, cursing and "four-letter words" are no longer confined to hot mics or hidden behind closed doors. Politicians and pundits are increasingly using so-called "bad words" in speeches, social media posts and campaign ads. Benjamin Bergen, professor of cognitive science, and Pamela Ban, associate professor of political science, both from UC San Diego's School of Social Sciences, examine why swearing among politicians is on the rise and what it reveals about persuasion, emotion and modern public discourse.