How friendship affects your brain - Shannon Odell

譯者: Camila Lin 審譯者: Zoe Walmsley

Friendships can hold an exceptional place in our life stories.

友誼能在人生故事中 佔據一個特殊的位置。

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

究竟是甚麼讓友誼關係如此特別？

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

在深入討論友誼的科學理論前， 我們先來看一個例子。

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

假如我能以某種方式 訂做一個完美的朋友，

put together all the ideal qualities of my perfect match,

即使能勾選與我最合拍的理想特質，

that person would pale in comparison to Priya.

一定還是比不上普莉雅！

She can turn any situation into a good time—

不管是什麼場合，有她就很開心──

chemistry lab, band practice.

即使是做化學實驗、樂團練習。

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

我想說的是，跟普莉雅在一起， 是我笑得最開懷的時候。

And she’s always there for me.

而且她總是不離不棄。

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

就像去年，那個姓泰的 跟我分手時，算了──

I don’t even want to mention their name.

我連那傢伙的全名都不想再提。

It felt like my whole world was crashing down.

總之，當時我覺得天都要塌下來了。

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

可是，我一跟普莉雅提起， 下一秒她就到了我家門口。

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

當時我完全崩潰了， 而她就陪著我，聽我訴苦。

We’re always on the same page;

我們的默契一直都很好，

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

好像心有靈犀，完全理解對方。

And we can talk for hours— about anything.

而且我們無所不聊， 一聊就是好幾個小時，

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

我媽一定會說她有 一堆電話帳單可證明。

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

你是否覺得建立於 青春期的友誼尤其地特別？

that’s because they are.

事實上的確如此。

Early childhood, adolescent, and adult friendships

因為童年、青春期 與成年後建立的友誼，

all manifest a little differently

感覺都稍有不同，

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

部分的原因是：不同的階段， 大腦的運作方式不同。

Adolescence is a unique time when peer relationships take focus,

青春期是聚焦於同儕關係的階段，

and thanks to the developing brain,

也因為大腦尚在發育，

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

它會影響你對待、理解朋友、 及彼此互動的方式。

Teenage friends can seem attached at the hip.

青少年朋友感覺總是形影不離。

Scientists describe adolescence as a social reorientation

科學家以「社交重新定位」 來形容青春期，

as teenagers begin to spend as much or more time

因為青少年開始花等同、 或比家人更多的時間與朋友相處。

with their friends than with their parents.

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

這個想跟朋友廝混的動力 可能來自大腦的獎賞機制改變了，

known as the ventral striatum.

又名為「腹側紋狀體」。

Its activation makes hanging out with others enjoyable

這個部位的啟動 讓我們享受與他人相處，

and motivates you to spend more time with them.

進而花更多時間和他們黏在一起。

Neuroimaging studies show that this region is highly reactive

腦部掃描的研究顯示，

「腹側紋狀體」在青春期格外活躍，

during your teenage years,

which may explain why adolescents seem to place a higher value

這或可解釋青少年時期 社交互動的重要性

on social interactions than children or adults.

遠甚過孩童與成人時期。

Teenage friendships can also feel more intimate

和童年玩伴的感情相比， 青春期的友誼更加親密。

than the friendships of your childhood.

This deeper connection is possible thanks to improvements

這個深層連結或可歸功於 科學家稱為「心智理論」的成長。

in what scientists call Theory of Mind.

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

「心智理論」是理解他人的 情緒、想法、動機、觀點的能力，

thoughts, motivations, and points of view,

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

而且接受他們可能跟自己的不一樣。

While it may seem intuitive,

雖然看起來好像是本能，

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

但這種能力其實有賴於 大腦不同部位的協調合作，

sometimes referred to as the social brain.

因此也被稱為「社交大腦」。

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

嬰兒約在 18 個月大時 開始發展心智理碖，

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

在那之前，普遍的看法是：

exactly what they know.

嬰兒認為自己跟所有人的 感知與理解都一模一樣。

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

之前，大家以為心智理論 在五歲時就發展成熟，

but scientists now know that Theory of Mind

但現在科學家已經知道，

心智理論會持續發展 到青春期，甚至更晚。

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

Likewise, regions within the social brain show increased connectivity

同樣的，社交大腦中不同部位的連結，

在青春期時也比童年時期 更加緊密複雜。

during adolescence compared with childhood.

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

因此，青少年更能理解朋友的想法，

allowing for deeper connections to flourish.

也就能建立更親密、深層的關係。

In the closest friendships,

在最親近的朋友間，

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

那感覺簡直就像兩人心靈相通，

two bodies and minds, perfectly in sync.

兩個人的身心完全同步，

And there is science to this!

而這其實有科學根據！

Your ability to connect with others somewhat depends

我們與他人建立關係的能力── 某方面來說──

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

要靠彼此間的動作、情緒、 生理與想法的協調。

This is what psychologists call interpersonal synchrony.

心理學家將這種整合 稱為「人際同步」。

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

「人際同步」的能力 從嬰兒時期就開始顯現──

synchronizing movements and babbling with your parents.

模仿父母的動作以及牙牙學語。

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

隨著成長，不在家的時間變長，

you increasingly show this synchrony with your peers.

和同儕朋友的「同步」明顯增加。

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

例如，當你和一個朋友走在路上。

Often without consciously thinking,

常常，就在你沒注意到時，

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

你們速度一致，也朝同一個方向走。

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

你和你最要好的朋友， 有的可能不只是默契，

but also scientifically, in step.

同時也有科學論證的同步性。