Euphemisms modulate the neural processing of norm violations.

Abstract

Euphemisms are commonly used in media to soften or obscure the severity of unethical or controversial actions. The present study explored the neural correlates underlying the processing of euphemized vignettes portraying norm violations. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) and collected behavioral severity ratings while participants (n = 38) read vignettes describing the same norm-violating events framed with euphemized, non-euphemized or control critical words. Behaviorally, participants rated norm violations as significantly less severe when described with euphemisms. At the neurophysiological level, non-euphemized critical words evoked significantly larger P600 amplitudes than euphemized words, whereas no reliable modulation was observed on the N400 component. Previous ERP studies have linked the N400 to the detection of semantic and normative incongruities, whereas the P600 has been associated with later integrative processes and evaluative reappraisal during language comprehension. These results suggest that euphemisms primarily modulate late-stage evaluative reappraisal and integration of norm violations, rather than early lexico-semantic detection.