# Blirtatiousness: the propensity to blurt



## David Baxter PhD (Oct 28, 2011)

*Blirtatiousness: the propensity to blurt*
Improbable Research
October 28, 2011

_“Converging evidence indicates that blirtatiousness  is unique in its ability to amplify people’s qualities, making these  qualities more readily observable to perceivers.”_
​_Blirtatiousness_ in this case means the propensity to blurt*  – bearing in mind that: “For  some people, no sooner do thoughts come  to mind than they fly out of their mouth.” One of the very few formal  scientific studies to look at the psychological consequences of blurting  was performed in 2001 of the University of Texas at Austin. Authors William B. Swann and Peter J. Rentfrow not only organized a complex series of experiments to investigate the  effects of various levels of blurting, but also devised the *B*rief *L*oquaciousness and *I*nterpersonal *R*esponsiveness *T*est (BLIRT) to quantify its effects.

The resulting paper, Blirtatiousness: Cognitive, behavioral, and physiological consequences of rapid responding, was published in the _Journal of Personality and Social Psychology_, 81, 1160-1175 And can also be read in full here.

BONUS: An online test based on BLIRT is available here and can (it is alleged) reveal whether you are a blurter or a brooder (and how this might affect your love life).

* Note: _Improbable_ has adopted the more usual spelling of ‘blurt’ rather than ‘blirt’ which, according to several dictionaries, is a nautical term for a gust of wind and rain.


----------



## Cat Dancer (Oct 28, 2011)

I think one of my grandmothers had this. She'd just say something like "You're looking fat today." She didn't even seem to think twice about a comment like that. mg:


----------



## Mari (Nov 5, 2011)

Would this count as one? "Behind every successful man there is a surprised woman"  ...oops did I just blurt that out?


----------

