Oh, @#%$!: a replication and expansion of

Purpose In 2023, Martaindale and colleagues examined the impact of police officers’ language (profane versus non-profane) during use of force incidents on civilians’ perceptions of the reasonableness of the applied force. The authors noted the lack of audio in the video conditions as a limitation worth addressing in future research. The current study replicated the work of Martaindale and colleagues and addressed the noted limitation by adding audio voice over for the officers’ dialogue to each video condition. Design/methodology/approach Using a 1 × 4 independent groups design with random assignment to one of four test conditions, participants (n = 160) viewed one of two dashcam use of force videos that were voiced over with either a clean or profane-laden depiction of the officers’ language. After watching the video, participants responded to a short questionnaire including a five-item reasonableness index and demographics. The current study also compares the replication sample to the original sample to determine whether reasonableness ratings differ significantly between those who heard and those who read the officer’s dialogue. Two-way ANOVA and OLS regression models were used. Findings Overall, and like the findings in Martaindale et al. (2023), the videos containing profanity were perceived as less reasonable than the corresponding videos without profanity. This study indicated that profane language used by officers, regardless of whether it is read or heard, impacts civilians’ perceived reasonableness of force. Implications are discussed within. Originality/value This study advances the understanding of how police officers’ language during use of force incidents affects civilians’ perceptions by addressing a notable limitation in prior research. Building on the work of Martaindale et al. (2023), this study incorporates audio voiceovers to enhance the realism and ecological validity of the experimental conditions. This also provides a more comprehensive analysis of the impact of profanity on perceived reasonableness of force. Comparing the replication sample to the original sample data contributes to the robustness of the findings, emphasizing the critical role of language in shaping public perceptions of police behavior.