Why are we so attached to our things? - Christian Jarrett

譯者: Kelly Yau 審譯者: Catherine Hsueh

After witnessing the violent rage shown by babies

目睹嬰兒在被奪走視為己有的物品後

whenever deprived of an item they considered their own,

哇哇大哭

Jean Piaget, a founding father of child psychology,

兒童心理學之父尚．皮亞傑

observed something profound about human nature.

觀察到跟人性有關的重要發現

Our sense of ownership emerges incredibly early.

我們的擁有慾極早便出現

Why are we so clingy?

為何我們那麼依戀自己的物品？

There's a well-established phenomenon in psychology

心理學上有個公認的現象

known as the endowment effect

稱為稟賦效應

where we value items much more highly just as soon as we own them.

我們得到一件物品後 馬上就給它很高的價值

In one famous demonstration,

一個著名的實驗中

students were given a choice between a coffee mug

學生可選擇咖啡杯

or a Swiss chocolate bar

或一條瑞士巧克力棒

as a reward for helping out with research.

用作協助研究的報酬

Half chose the mug, and half chose the chocolate.

一半學生選擇咖啡杯 另一半選擇巧克力

That is, they seemed to value the two rewards similarly.

可見學生評估獎賞的價值都是相近的

Other students were given a mug first

有一批學生起初獲發咖啡杯

and then a surprise chance to swap it for a chocolate bar,

其後有機會將咖啡杯換成巧克力棒

but only 11% wanted to.

但只有 11% 學生希望更換獎品

Yet another group started out with chocolate,

而另一批學生起初獲發巧克力棒

and most preferred to keep it rather than swap.

但大多學生寧可保留巧克力棒 而不選擇更換咖啡杯

In other words, the students nearly always put greater value

換言之，對一開始獲發的獎賞

on whichever reward they started out with.

學生幾乎都給予較高的價值

Part of this has to do with how quickly we form connections

部分原因能解釋到

between our sense of self and the things we consider ours.

我們為何迅速跟視為己的物品連繫

That can even be seen at the neural level.

還可從神經系統方面解釋

In one experiment, neuroscientists scanned participants' brains

有個實驗，神經學家 掃描參加者的大腦

while they allocated various objects either to a basket labeled "mine,"

他們把物品投入寫着「我的」籃子

or another labeled, "Alex's."

或「亞歷」的籃子

When participants subsequently looked at their new things,

參加者望着新物品時

their brains showed more activity

大腦會活躍起來

in a region that usually flickers into life

尤其是想起生活片段

whenever we think about ourselves.

及想到我們自己

Another reason we're so fond of our possessions

另一原因解釋為何我們深愛自己物品

is that from a young age we believe they have a unique essence.

是從小就相信自己的物品有一種特質

Psychologists showed us this by using an illusion

為了證明，心理學家 告訴三至六歲孩童

to convince three to six-year-olds they built a copying machine,

他們有一個複製器

a device that could create perfect replicas of any item.

可以將所有物品 造出完美無暇的複製品

When offered a choice between their favorite toy

孩童要選喜愛的玩具時

or an apparently exact copy,

他們可在原品和複製品作抉擇

the majority of the children favored the original.

大部份孩童鍾情於原來的玩具

In fact, they were often horrified at the prospect of taking home a copy.

事實上，孩童懼怕把複製品帶回家

This magical thinking about objects isn't something we grow out of.

這種奇妙的思想不會隨年齡減退

Rather it persists into adulthood while becoming ever more elaborate.

相反，這種想法到成年後

仍會持續，甚至會更複雜

For example, consider the huge value placed on items

譬如對名人用過的物品

that have been owned by celebrities.

會給予很高的價值

It's as if the buyers believed the objects they'd purchased

買家認為購買這些物品後

were somehow imbued with the essence of their former celebrity owners.

能夠擁有名人用家的特質

For similar reasons, many of us are reluctant to part with family heirlooms

就如很多人都不願意放棄家傳之寶

which help us feel connected to lost loved ones.

這些物品仿佛連繫着失去的摯愛

These beliefs can even alter our perception of the physical world

這信念甚至改變人們 對物質世界的看法

and change our athletic abilities.

和我們的運動能力

Participants in a recent study were told they were using a golf putter

最近有項研究 研究員告知參加者所用的球桿

once owned by the champion Ben Curtis.

曾為高球冠軍選手本．柯蒂斯擁有

During the experiment,

實驗期間

they perceived the hole as being about a centimeter larger

參加者認為球洞寬了 1 厘米

than controlled participants using a standard putter

相比另一批用普通球桿的參加者

and they sank slightly more putts.

他們的入球量稍多

Although feelings of ownership emerge early in life, culture also plays a part.

儘管擁有慾年幼已出現 但文化影響也為重要

For example, it was recently discovered that Hadza people of northern Tanzania

例如，最近研究發現 住在坦桑尼亞北部的哈扎人

who are isolated from modern culture

跟現代文明隔絕

don't exhibit the endowment effect.

沒有受稟賦效應影響

That's possibly because they live in an egalitarian society

或許族人居住在奉行平等主義的社區

where almost everything is shared.

所有物品都是共用的

At the other extreme, sometimes our attachment to our things can go too far.

有時我們對物品的依戀太偏激

Part of the cause of hoarding disorder is an exaggerated sense of responsibility

儲物症部分原因歸究於 對個人物品抱有過分的責任感

and protectiveness toward one's belongings.

以及過分呵護

That's why people with this condition find it so difficult to throw anything away.

因此患者對棄置任何東西感到困難

What remains to be seen today

現在所看到

is how the nature of our relationship with our possessions

個人物品與自身的關係

will change with the rise of digital technologies.

會隨着數碼科技的發展而改變

Many have forecast the demise of physical books and music,

很多人推測印刷書 和音樂唱片將會沒落

but for now, at least, this seems premature.

但現在看來仍言之尚早

Perhaps there will always be something uniquely satisfying

或許我們認為手持一件 視之為己的物品

about holding an object in our hands and calling it our own.

會為我們帶來獨一無二的滿足感