Trash talk doesn’t have a reputation for being a particularly respectable form of communication. But Kohan thinks that landing a well-timed and expertly calculated “your mama” joke is an art form—and one that deserves a more scientific look into how it functions. Scientific American spoke with Kohan about what is behind the science of trash talk, why trash talk works on some people and not others, and what it can teach us about resilience in the face of stress and anxiety.