How friendship affects your brain - Shannon Odell

翻译人员: Lixin Foo 校对人员: Grace Man

Friendships can hold an exceptional place in our life stories.

友谊可以在我们人生之歌里 占据异乎寻常的位置。

What is it about these connections that make them so unique?

是什么让这类关系这般独特呢？

Before we dive into the science, let’s first observe one in action.

在潜心研究科学方面的解说之前， 我们来现场观看一场友谊吧。

If I could somehow design a best friend, you know,

如果我能设法塑造出一位闺蜜的话，

你懂的，将我心目中完美搭档 的所有理想特征融为一体，

put together all the ideal qualities of my perfect match,

that person would pale in comparison to Priya.

那个人与普里雅（Priya）相比 也一定还是相形见绌。

She can turn any situation into a good time—

无论什么样的情况 都能被普里雅转换为欢快的时光——

chemistry lab, band practice.

化学实验课、乐队排练——

What I’m trying to say is I never laugh harder than when I’m with Priya.

我想说的是，我从没比和普里雅 在一起时笑得更欢快。

And she’s always there for me.

而且，她总是陪伴在我身旁。

Like last year after I got dumped by Te— you know what?

比如去年 我被泰（Te）甩了后——

I don’t even want to mention their name.

算了别提那人渣了。

It felt like my whole world was crashing down.

那时我的感觉就像是 整个天都塌了。

But as soon as I told Priya, boom, she was at my door.

但我一告诉普里雅， 她立马就出现在我家门口。

I was a wreck, but she sat there with me and listened.

我崩溃不已， 她却坐在了我身旁，耐心聆听着。

We’re always on the same page;

我们总是同步一致，

it’s as if we can read each other’s minds!

仿佛能读懂对方的心思！

And we can talk for hours— about anything.

聊天都能天马行空地 聊上好几个小时。

I know my mom would say she has the phone bills to prove it.

至少我妈就会把电话费 当作数据来证明这一点。

If it seems like friendships formed in adolescence are particularly special,

如果说青春期形成的友谊 看起来特别特殊，

that’s because they are.

那是因为确有其实。

Early childhood, adolescent, and adult friendships

幼儿时期、青春期与成年人的友谊

all manifest a little differently

形成的方式都有小小的不同，

in part because the brain works in different ways at those stages of life.

部分源于大脑在人生不同阶段 运转的区别。

Adolescence is a unique time when peer relationships take focus,

青春期是个同龄关系 成为焦点的特殊时期，

and thanks to the developing brain,

而随着大脑的逐渐发育，

there are changes in the way you value, understand, and connect to friends.

我们给予朋友的价值、认知 与连接性在青春期时产生变化。

Teenage friends can seem attached at the hip.

青少年时期的朋友或许 会显得形影不离。

Scientists describe adolescence as a social reorientation

科学家把青春期比喻为青年们

在重新定位 自己在社会上的位置的阶段。

as teenagers begin to spend as much or more time

这个时期的青年，与朋友相处的时间

with their friends than with their parents.

开始比和父母共享天伦的光阴 有过之而无不及。

This drive to hang with pals may be due to changes in the brain’s reward center,

这种与伙伴相伴的动力 或许源于大脑犒赏系统中心——

known as the ventral striatum.

也就是腹侧纹状体的变化。

Its activation makes hanging out with others enjoyable

它一旦被激活，就会使与人打交道 变得更为愉悦，

and motivates you to spend more time with them.

从而促使你多与他人相处。

Neuroimaging studies show that this region is highly reactive

神经影像学的研究显示， 这处大脑区域

during your teenage years,

在青年期的反应性非常高。

which may explain why adolescents seem to place a higher value

这或许就是青少年似乎比小孩或大人

on social interactions than children or adults.

更看重社交的原因。

Teenage friendships can also feel more intimate

青年期的友谊也会比 幼儿时期的交情更显亲密。

than the friendships of your childhood.

This deeper connection is possible thanks to improvements

这层更深的关系可能源于

in what scientists call Theory of Mind.

被科学家称为心智理论概念的进步。

Theory of Mind is the ability to understand others’ emotions,

心智理论是人们理解其他人

情绪、思绪、动机与视角，

thoughts, motivations, and points of view,

and to realize that they may be different from your own.

并且认识到这些因人而异的能力。

While it may seem intuitive,

这种能力虽然听起来理所当然，

this ability hinges on the careful coordination of various brain regions,

却取决于大脑里

组成社交大脑的 各个区域的悉心协调。

sometimes referred to as the social brain.

Babies begin to develop Theory of Mind around 18 months or so.

心智理论于婴儿 18 个月左右开始发育。

Before that, it’s thought they believe that everyone perceives and knows

根据我们所推测， 在那之前，他们相信

exactly what they know.

别人所知所感皆与他们自己一致。

It was once considered to be fully developed by age five,

我们曾经认为孩子到了五岁 就在这一方面完全发育了，

but scientists now know that Theory of Mind

但是科学家现在发现心智理论

continues to improve and mature well into your teenage years and beyond.

其实与年龄的增长—— 乃至青春期往后——一并进化成熟。

Likewise, regions within the social brain show increased connectivity

同样地，社交大脑里的区域

在青春期时比在幼儿时期 显示的连通性高出许多。

during adolescence compared with childhood.

As a result, teens can better understand their friend’s perspectives,

由此一来，青年们 能更好地互相了解朋友们的观点，

allowing for deeper connections to flourish.

从而促使更深的牵绊滋生而成。

In the closest friendships,

在最亲密的友谊里，

it can almost feel as if you’re metaphysically connected—

你甚至可能感觉与朋友抽象化地

two bodies and minds, perfectly in sync.

在身心两侧连结为一体，举步并行。

And there is science to this!

而这是有科学认证的！

Your ability to connect with others somewhat depends

你与他人相交的能力略微取决于

on the coordination of actions, emotions, physiology, and thoughts.

行动、情绪、体格与思想的协调度。

This is what psychologists call interpersonal synchrony.

这就是被心理学家们 称为人际同步的概念。

You first show signs of the ability to sync with others as infants—

人们最初显示与他人同步的能力 是在婴儿时期——

synchronizing movements and babbling with your parents.

以行动和呀呀出声模仿双亲的时候。

As you get older and spend more time outside the home,

当你长大成人， 在家外度过的时间稍长后，

you increasingly show this synchrony with your peers.

你将与同龄人们更多地 产生这种同步性。

For example, imagine walking down the street with a friend.

打个比方说：你与朋友一同逛街时，

Often without consciously thinking,

常常会在不自觉的情况下

you stroll at the same pace and follow the same path.

与友人同速同道而行。

You and your best friend may not be only on the same page,

你与你的闺蜜或许不只是同心同意，

but also scientifically, in step.

甚至从科学上而言，同步而行。