The art of misdirection | Apollo Robbins | TED

翻译人员: Peipei Xiang 校对人员: Brandon Jow

Do you think it's possible to control someone's attention?

你们觉得人的注意力是可控制的吗？

Even more than that, what about predicting human behavior?

或者更进一步，

人的行为可预知吗？

如果可以的话，我觉得这些想法很有趣。

I think those are interesting ideas.

For me, that would be the perfect superpower,

对我来说，这些会是完美的超能力，

actually kind of an evil way of approaching it.

只不过是有点邪恶罢了。

But for myself, in the past, I've spent the last 20 years

过去20年，我一直在用一种非传统的方式观察人类行为：

studying human behavior from a rather unorthodox way:

过去20年，我一直在用一种非传统的方式观察人类行为：

picking pockets.

小偷小摸。

When we think of misdirection,

提到错误引导，

we think of something as looking off to the side,

我们总觉得是将注意力放在事物的其他方面，

when actually the things right in front of us

但实际上，往往在我们眼前的事情

are often the hardest to see,

是最难被发现的，

the things that you look at every day that you're blinded to.

那些你天天看到的东西反而是你的盲点。

For example, how many of you still have your cell phones on you right now?

举个例子，现场有多少人身上带了手机？

举个例子，现场有多少人身上带了手机？

Great. Double-check.

很好，再检查一遍，

Make sure you still have them.

确保手机还在身上，

I was doing some shopping before.

因为我刚才在场下转了转。

(Laughter)

You've looked at them a few times today,

你今天估计已经看过好几次手机了，

但我接下来要问你们一个问题。

but I'll ask you a question.

Without looking at it directly yet,

不要看你的手机，

can you remember the icon in the bottom right corner?

你能记得屏幕右下角是什么图标吗？

Bring them out, check and see how accurate you were.

现在拿出手机，看一下，你猜对了吗？

怎么样？猜对的请举手。

How'd you do?

Show of hands. Did we get it?

好了，请放下手机。

Now that you're done, close them down.

Every phone has something in common.

每一部手机都有一个共同点，

No matter how you organize the icons,

那就是无论你如何整理图标，

you still have a clock on the front.

你的首页都会显示时间。

So, without looking at your phone, what time was it?

那么，不看手机，现在几点了？

You just looked at your clock, right?

你们之前刚刚看了时间，不是吗？

Interesting idea.

非常有意思。接下来，我们把这个游戏更进一步。

Let's take that a step further with a game of trust.

闭上眼睛。

Close your eyes.

I realize I'm asking you to do that while you just heard

我意识到我刚才告诉你们我是个小偷，

there's a pickpocket in the room, but close your eyes.

现在却要让你们闭眼睛，但还是请闭上。

Now, you've been watching me for about 30 seconds.

到目前为止，你们观察我已经至少有30秒了。

请告诉我，我穿的什么衣服？

With your eyes closed, what am I wearing?

Make your best guess.

尽力想。

What color is my shirt? What color is my tie?

我的衬衫是什么颜色？领带是什么颜色？

Now open your eyes.

现在请睁开眼睛。

Show of hands, were you right?

如果你猜对了，请举手。

Interesting, isn't it?

很有趣对不对？有些人的感知能力比其他人

Some of us are a little bit more perceptive than others, it seems.

要强一些，至少看起来是这样。

关于这种注意力模式，我有另外一种解释。

But I have a different theory about that model of attention.

注意力模式的理论有很多， 比如波斯纳的三位一体注意力模式。

They have fancy models of attention, Posner's trinity model of attention.

For me, I like to think of it very simple, like a surveillance system.

我喜欢把它想得简单一点，就像一个监视系统。

It's kind of like you have all these fancy sensors,

就好像你有许许多多的感觉器官，

and inside your brain is a little security guard.

在你的大脑内有一个小小保安人员，

For me, I like to call him Frank.

我先暂且把它称作弗兰克。

So Frank is sitting at a desk.

弗兰克坐在桌子旁，

He's got lots of cool information in front of him,

他眼前有各种各样的信息，

high-tech equipment, he's got cameras,

高科技装置，照相机，

he's got a little phone that he can pick up, listen to the ears,

还有能接听讯息的手机，

all these senses, all these perceptions.

各种感觉和知觉。

But attention is what steers your perceptions,

但是注意力是能引导你的认知的东西，

it's what controls your reality.

它掌控你看到的现实，它是通往你的心灵的大门。

It's the gateway to the mind.

If you don't attend to something, you can't be aware of it.

如果你不注意某个东西，你就不会察觉到它。

But ironically, you can attend to something without being aware of it.

有意思的是，你也会在自己不察觉的情况下注意到某个东西。

For example, the cocktail effect:

这就是为什么会有鸡尾酒效应：

You're in a party, having conversations with someone,

所谓鸡尾酒效应，是指当你在一个派对上专心与某人交谈时，

却能立马听到你的名字，

and yet you can recognize your name

without realizing you were listening to that.

而你都没有意识到自己在听那个另外的对话。

Now, for my job, I have to play with techniques to exploit this,

我的工作就是充分利用这个效应，

玩弄你们有限的注意力。

to play with your attention as a limited resource.

So if I could control how you spend your attention,

来看看我能不能控制你支配自己的注意力的方式，

if I could maybe steal your attention through a distraction.

看看我能不能通过干扰来窃取你的注意力。

Now, instead of doing it like misdirection

现在，与其进行错误引导

and throwing it off to the side,

并将其转移到其他方面，

instead, what I choose to focus on is Frank,

我选择的是专注于弗兰克，

to be able to play with the Frank inside your head,

与你脑中的弗兰克，也就是那个小保安，游戏一场，

your security guard,

与你脑中的弗兰克，也就是那个小保安，游戏一场，

and get you, instead of focusing on your external senses,

让你暂时不专注于外部感知，

just to go internal for a second.

而是专注于内部感知。

So if I ask you to access a memory, like, what is that?

如果我让你读取一段记忆，比如：这是什么？

What just happened? Do you have a wallet?

刚才发生了什么？你有钱包吗？

Do you have an American Express in your wallet?

你钱包里有运通卡（信用卡）吗？

And when I do that, your Frank turns around.

当我问这些问题的时候，弗兰克转过身去，

He accesses the file. He has to rewind the tape.

他去找资料，他必须倒带。

What's interesting is, he can't rewind the tape

但有趣的是，他在处理新信息的时候

at the same time that he's trying to process new data.

不能进行倒带这一任务。

This sounds like a good theory,

这听起来是个挺棒的理论，

but I could talk for a long time, tell you lots of things,

我可以讲很久，告诉你们很多东西，

and a portion of them may be true,

它们中有一些可能是真的，

but I think it's better if I tried to show that to you here live.

但是我认为当场演示效果会更好。

所以如果我走下台，我又要逛一下了。

If I come down, I'm going to do a bit of shopping.

Just hold still where you are.

请保持原地不动。

Hello, how are you? It's lovely to see you.

你好，见到你很高兴。

Wonderful job onstage.

你在台上的演讲很棒。

Lovely watch, it doesn't come off very well.

你的手表不错，但有点不好取。

Do you have a ring as well?

你有戒指吗？

Good. Just taking inventory. You're like a buffet.

很好，只是清点一下。你们简直就像丰盛的自助餐厅，

不知道从儿哪开始啊，这么多好东西。

Hard to tell where to start, so many great things.

Hi, how are you? Good to see you.

你好，很高兴见到你。

Hi, sir, could you stand up, please? Just right where you are.

先生你好，能麻烦你站起来一下吗？站在原地就好。

You're married, you follow directions well.

哦，你结婚了，不错。

Nice to meet you, sir.

很高兴见到你，先生。

You don't have a lot in your pockets. Anything down here?

你的口袋里似乎没什么东西，下面口袋还有什么吗？

Hopefully so. Have a seat. There you go. You're doing well.

希望有吧，请坐。谢谢！

先生你好！

Hi, sir, how are you?

Good to see you, sir. You have a ring, a watch.

很高兴见到你，你戴了戒指，还有手表。

Do you have a wallet on you? Joe: I don't.

您身上有钱包吗？ 乔：没有。

AR: Well, we'll find one for you. Come on up this way, Joe.

罗宾：很好，待会儿我找一个给你。

请往这边走，乔。

Give Joe a round of applause. Come on up, Joe. Let's play a game.

请为乔鼓掌。

乔，请上台，让我们玩个游戏。

(Applause)

（掌声）

AR: Pardon me.

不好意思。

I don't think I need this clicker anymore.

我觉得我不需要这个遥控器了，给你吧。

Thank you very much. I appreciate that.

谢谢，非常感谢！

Come on up to the stage, Joe. Let's play a little game now.

请上台，乔。我们玩个游戏吧！

你前面的裤袋里有什么东西吗？ 乔：现金。

Anything in your front pockets?

J: Money.

AR: Money! All right, let's try that.

罗宾：现金，很好，让我们试试。

Can you stand right over this way for me?

你能站到这边来吗？

Turn around and, let's see,

请转过来。

if I give you something that belongs to me,

嗯，如果我把我的东西给你，

this is just something I have,

我有一枚扑克筹码，

a poker chip.

Hold out your hand for me.

把你的手拿出来，看好了。

Watch it closely.

现在需要你专注地做一件事。

This is a task for you to focus on.

You have your money in your front pocket?

你前面裤袋里有现金，对吗？ 乔：是的。

J: Yup. AR: Good.

I won't put my hand in your pocket. I'm not ready for that kind of commitment.

罗宾：很好，我可没打算把手伸到你口袋里，

我还没准备好心理准备。

Once a guy had a hole in his pocket,

之前有一次碰到一个人，他的口袋里有个洞，

那次经历给我留下了巨大的心理阴影。

and that was rather traumatizing for me.

我本来是在找他的钱包，结果他给了我他的电话号码。

I wanted his wallet, he gave me his number.

真是个巨大的误会。

Big miscommunication.

我们开始吧，请握紧你的手。

(Laughter)

Let's do this simply. Squeeze your hand tight.

Do you feel the poker chip in your hand?

紧紧地握着，能感觉到手中的筹码吗？ 乔：能。

J: I do.

AR: Would you be surprised if I took it? Say yes.

罗宾：如果我能将它从你手中取出，你会惊讶吗？请说“会”。

乔：我会非常惊讶。 罗宾：很好。

J: Very. AR: Good.

张开手。谢谢！

Open your hand. Thank you very much.

I'll cheat if you give me a chance.

如果你稍有疏忽，我是会作弊的。

Make it harder for me. Just use your hand.

现在给我加大点难度。

Grab my wrist, but squeeze, squeeze firm.

用你的手抓住我的手腕，死死地抓紧。

Did you see it go? Joe: No.

你看到筹码溜走了吗？

乔：没有。 罗宾：没有，但它不在这，张开手。

AR: No, it's not here. Open your hand.

While we're focused on the hand, it's sitting on your shoulder.

看到了吧，当我们专注于手的时候，

它其实已经落到了你的肩膀上。

请将它取下。

Go ahead and take it off.

Now, let's try that again.

现在，让我们再来一遍。

Hold your hand out flat. Open it up.

把手张开，张到最大。

Put your hand up a little bit higher, but watch it close.

请稍微抬起一点，但是要紧紧看着它。

If I did it slowly, it'd be on your shoulder.

看，如果我动作慢一点，它还是会回到你肩膀上。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Joe, we're going to keep doing this till you catch it.

乔，我们可以一直这样做，直到你抓住它为止。

你最终会抓住它的，我相信你。

You'll get it eventually. I have faith in you.

抓紧了。作为人类，你动作敏捷。

Squeeze firm. You're human, you're not slow.

It's back on your shoulder.

它又回到你肩膀上了。

You were focused on your hand, distracted.

刚才你一直专注于你的手，所以你的注意力转移了。

While you were watching, I couldn't get your watch off.

当你专注手的时候，我不能取下你的手表，太难了。

Yet you had something inside your pocket.

但是你前方口袋里还有东西，

Do you remember what it was?

你还记得里面装着什么吗？

J: Money.

乔：现金

AR: Check your pocket. Is it still there?

罗宾：检查下你的口袋，看看现金还在不在，还在吗？ （笑声）

(Laughter)

Oh, there it was. Put it away.

哦，它在这儿呢，请将它放回去。

We're just shopping.

我们只是到处看看。这个游戏更多的是对时间的把握。

This trick's more about the timing.

I'm going to try to push it inside your hand.

我接下来会把它放在你手里。

能把你的另一只手放在上面吗？

Put your other hand on top, would you?

It's amazingly obvious now, isn't it?

这一切出乎意料的显而易见，不是吗？

Looks a lot like the watch I was wearing, doesn't it?

这很像我现在带着的手表，对吗？

（笑声）（掌声）

(Laughter) (Applause)

J: That's pretty good. AR: Oh, thanks.

乔：这太神奇了。 罗宾：谢谢！

(Applause)

But it's only a start. Let's try it a little bit differently.

这仅仅是个开始。我们再来一次，但这次有点不同。

Hold your hands together. Your other hand on top.

把你的手放在一起，把另一只手放在上面，

If you're watching this little token,

当你在注视这枚筹码的时候，

this obviously has become a little target, like a red herring.

这就成了一个小目标，就像是红色的鲱鱼。

If we watch this kind of close, it looks like it goes away.

如果我们认真盯着它，好像它已经溜走了。

这次它不在你肩膀上，

It's not back on your shoulder.

It falls out of the air, lands right back in the hand.

它从空中掉下来，落在了手上。

Did you see it go?

看清楚了吗？

Yeah, funny. We've got a little guy. He's union, works up there all day.

嗯，是很有趣。 上面有个人，跟我一伙儿的，整天干这事儿。

If I do it slowly it goes straight away, it lands by your pocket.

如果我做得慢点，它马上就溜走了，

这次它降落在你的口袋里了。在你的口袋里吗？

Is it in this pocket, sir?

Don't reach in your pocket. That's a different show.

别，别把手伸进口袋，那是另外一个节目。

(Squeaking)

嗯，（吱吱声）这是有点儿奇怪，可以打针。

That's rather strange. They have shots for that.

我能给大家展示一下这个吗？ 真奇怪。先生，请问这是你的吗？

Can I show them? Rather bizarre. Is this yours, sir?

I have no idea how that works. We'll send that over there.

我不知道这是怎么回事。我们把它放那儿就好了。

很好，我这儿需要一点帮助。

I need help with this one.

请站到这边来。

Step over this way for me.

Don't run away. You had something down by your pants pocket.

请别跑，你裤子口袋里还有点儿东西。

I was checking mine. I couldn't find everything,

我在找，可是怎么也找不到，

but I noticed you had something here.

但我注意到你那儿似乎有点东西。

我能摸一下你的口袋外面吗？

Can I feel the outside for a moment?

Down here I noticed this. Is this something of yours, sir?

我发现了这玩意儿。先生，请问这是你的吗？

是吗？我完全不知道是怎么回事，那是一只虾。

I have no idea. That's a shrimp.

J: Yeah. I'm saving it for later.

乔：嗯，这是我为晚点时间准备的。

AR: You've entertained all of these people in a wonderful way,

罗宾：你给在场所有人带来了欢乐，

better than you know.

比你想象的还要好。

So we'd love to give you this lovely watch as a gift.

所以我想把这块手表送给你以示感谢（笑声），

(Laughter)

Hopefully it matches his taste.

希望它合你口味。

We have a couple of other things,

此外，我还有其他礼物要送给你，

a little bit of cash.

一点现金，还有点其他东西，

And we have a few other things,

these all belong to you,

这些都是你的，

还有来自现场朋友的热烈掌声。（掌声）

along with a big round of applause from all your friends.

(Applause)

乔：谢谢。

Joe, thank you very much.

（掌声）

(Applause)

(Applause ends)

So, same question I asked you before,

那么，我想再问一遍最开始的问题，

but this time you don't have to close your eyes.

但这次不需要你们闭上眼睛，

What am I wearing?

我今天穿了什么？

Audience: Oh!

（笑声）

(Laughter)

(Hesitant applause)

（掌声）

(Applause ends)

Attention is a powerful thing.

注意力是非常强大的东西。

Like I said, it shapes your reality.

正如我之前所说的，它决定了你的现实世界。

So, I guess I'd like to pose that question to you.

所以，我想问大家一个问题，

If you could control somebody's attention,

如果你能控制一个人的注意力，

what would you do with it?

你会用它做什么？

Thank you.

谢谢

(Applause)

（掌声）