An insult is a statement or action which affronts or demeans someone. It might be intentional or accidental. Regardless of the intentions behind it, however, it hurts the feelings of those affected.

Jamaicans react violently to insults because they challenge our egos/sense of self, states clinical psychologist Dr Kai Morgan.

Insults hurt, even if, most of the time, there is no truth to them.

"The person being insulted perceives that it is a true comment about him or herself on some level (especially if his or her mother/sibling used to always level similar insults to them as a child) and, therefore, the insult essentially hits home," the psychologist explains.

Profanity is frequently used as parts of insults to strengthen their emotional impact. Some body parts, although useful, may be of low esteem and are also used to show disapproval for the behaviour or morals of another.

Dr Morgan notes that the response to insults is heightened when others are privy to your innermost fears, making you vulnerable.

Responding to insults

We will be especially aggressive and defensive in response in order to discredit what just might be true.

The psychologist notes that non-responsiveness to insults takes willpower and introspection (knowing yourself and feeling strength and stability in your sense of self).

If you know who you are and what you represent, so much so that no one can challenge that (certainly not an outsider) in any way, nothing can get a violent reaction from you.

Dr Morgan notes that African Americans are just as liable as Jamaicans to respond violently to insults because of cultural similarities.

The cause, she says, does not lie in economic pressures, as when we look at other areas where those pressures are high, violence is not necessarily as high.

Research, she notes, has effectively ruled out poverty as a cause of violent reactions to perceived insults.

Categories of insult

Insult to intelligence - e.g., idiot.

Insult to education - e.g., dropout or nerd.

Insult to morals - e.g., liar or thief. (Jamaican equivalent - ole tief).

Insult via relatives - e.g., "Your mum is so ..."

Insult via implied drug use - e.g., crackhead.

Insult to economic class - e.g., beggar or bum. (Jamaican equivalent - wukliss bwoy).

Insult against skill - e.g., rookie or loser. (Jamaican equivalent - fool-fool)

Insult to appearance - e.g., fatso or ugly.

Insult to gender - e.g., 'What are you? A girl!' (Jamaican equivalent - maama-man)

- Source: Wikipedia

- Outlook Team