You aren't at the mercy of your emotions -- your brain creates them | Lisa Feldman Barrett

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Marssi Draw

My research lab sits about a mile from where several bombs exploded

我的研究實驗室外大約一英哩處 就是 2013 年波士頓馬拉松時，

during the Boston Marathon in 2013.

數個炸彈爆炸的地方。

The surviving bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev of Chechnya,

存活下來的炸彈客， 車臣的佐哈爾札涅夫，

was tried, convicted and sentenced to death.

受到審判、被定罪、被判死刑。

Now, when a jury has to make the decision

當陪審團要做決定，

between life in prison and the death penalty,

選擇要判終生監禁或死刑時，

they base their decision largely on whether or not the defendant

他們的決定基礎主要是看

被告是否對他的行為有悔意。

feels remorseful for his actions.

Tsarnaev spoke words of apology,

佐哈爾札涅夫說了道歉的話，

but when jurors looked at his face,

但當陪審團成員看著他的臉，

all they saw was a stone-faced stare.

他們看到的只有面無表情的凝視。

Now, Tsarnaev is guilty, there's no doubt about that.

佐哈爾札涅夫是有罪的， 這點無庸置疑。

He murdered and maimed innocent people,

他謀殺、重傷了無辜的人，

and I'm not here to debate that.

我並不是來爭辯這一點。

My heart goes out to all the people who suffered.

我的心與那些受苦的人同在。

But as a scientist, I have to tell you

但身為科學家，我必須告訴你們，

that jurors do not and cannot detect remorse

陪審團永遠不能，也不可能，

偵測任何人的悔意或任何其他情緒。

or any other emotion in anybody ever.

Neither can I, and neither can you,

我也不行，你們也不行，

and that's because emotions are not what we think they are.

那是因為情緒和我們所想的不一樣。

They are not universally expressed and recognized.

它們並沒有普遍的表現方式， 也沒有被普遍認可。

They are not hardwired brain reactions

它們並不是無法控制的

天生大腦反應。

that are uncontrollable.

We have misunderstood the nature of emotion

我們誤解了情緒的天性，

for a very long time,

長年以來一直如此，

and understanding what emotions really are has important consequences for all of us.

了解情緒到底是什麼，

對我們所有人來說， 都有很重要的後果。

I have studied emotions as a scientist for the past 25 years,

身為科學家，過去二十五年間， 我一直在研究情緒，

and in my lab, we have probed human faces by measuring electrical signals

在我的實驗室中，我們探究 人類面孔的方式是測量電訊號，

that cause your facial muscles to contract to make facial expressions.

電訊號會造成肌肉收縮，做出表情。

We have scrutinized the human body in emotion.

我們已經仔細觀察過 人有情緒時的身體反應，

We have analyzed hundreds of physiology studies

我們已經分析過數百篇生理研究，

involving thousands of test subjects.

這些研究涉及數千名實驗對象。

We've scanned hundreds of brains,

我們已經掃瞄過數百個大腦，

and examined every brain imaging study on emotion

探討在過去二十年間所出版的

每一篇關於情緒的大腦成像研究。

that has been published in the past 20 years.

And the results of all of this research are overwhelmingly consistent.

所有這些研究的結果 都有非常驚人的一致性。

It may feel to you like your emotions are hardwired

你可能會覺得你的情緒是天生的，

and they just trigger and happen to you,

它們就是會被觸發， 然後你就會有情緒，

but they don't.

但不是這樣的。

You might believe that your brain is prewired with emotion circuits,

你可能會認為你的大腦 內建有情緒電路，

that you're born with emotion circuits, but you're not.

你生出來就有情緒電路， 但實情並非如此。

In fact, none of us in this room have emotion circuits in our brain.

事實上在這演講廳裡 沒有任何人的腦中有情緒電路。

In fact, no brain on this planet contains emotion circuits.

其實地球上沒有任何一顆腦袋 含有情緒電路。

So what are emotions, really?

那麼，情緒到底是什麼？

Well, strap on your seat belt, because ...

嗯，繫上你的安全帶，因為……

emotions are guesses.

情緒是猜測。

They are guesses that your brain constructs in the moment

情緒是你的大腦在當下建立的猜測，

where billions of brain cells are working together,

在大腦中，數十億個腦細胞合作進行，

and you have more control over those guesses

而你能控制那些猜測的程度

than you might imagine that you do.

比你想像的還要高。

Now, if that sounds preposterous to you, or, you know, kind of crazy,

如果你覺得這聽起來很荒謬， 或是有點瘋狂，

I'm right there with you, because frankly, if I hadn't seen the evidence for myself,

我也有同感，因為坦白說， 如果沒親自看過證據，

decades of evidence for myself,

數十年來的證據，

I am fairly sure that I wouldn't believe it either.

我很確定我自己也不會相信。

But the bottom line is that emotions are not built into your brain at birth.

但結果就是，情緒並不是 你出生時就內建在你的大腦中的。

They are just built.

情緒只是被建立起來。

To see what I mean, have a look at this.

若想了解我的意思，看看這個。

Right now, your brain is working like crazy.

此刻，你的大腦正在瘋狂運作。

Your neurons are firing like mad trying to make meaning out of this

你的神經元火力全開， 試著找出這張圖的意義，

so that you see something other than black and white blobs.

想讓你能看到黑白斑以外的東西。

Your brain is sifting through a lifetime of experience,

你的大腦正在篩選你一生的經驗，

making thousands of guesses at the same time,

同時做出數千種猜測，

weighing the probabilities,

權衡各種可能性，

trying to answer the question,

試圖回答這個問題：

"What is this most like?"

「這最像什麼？」

not "What is it?"

不是「這是什麼？」

but "What is this most like in my past experience?"

而是「依我過去的經驗， 這最像什麼？」

And this is all happening in the blink of an eye.

上述這一切都在一眨眼間發生。

Now if your brain is still struggling to find a good match

如果你的大腦還在努力著 想要找到符合的資訊，

and you still see black and white blobs,

而你仍然只看到黑白斑，

then you are in a state called "experiential blindness,"

那麼你就是處在所謂 「經驗盲目」的狀態中，

and I am going to cure you of your blindness.

而我要來治癒你的盲目。

這是我最喜歡的部分。 你們準備好被治癒了嗎？

This is my favorite part. Are you ready to be cured?

(Cheers)

（歡呼聲）

All right. Here we go.

好極了，來吧。

(Gasps)

（讚嘆聲）

All right.

好。

So now many of you see a snake,

現在，很多人能看到了一條蛇了，

and why is that?

為什麼會這樣？

Because as your brain is sifting through your past experience,

因為當你的大腦 在篩選你過去的經驗時，

there's new knowledge there,

有找到新的知識，

the knowledge that came from the photograph.

來自剛才蛇的照片的知識。

And what's really cool is that

而很酷的一點是，

that knowledge which you just acquired moments ago

你剛剛才取得的那些知識

is changing how you experience these blobs right now.

正在改變你現在對於 這些黑白斑的經驗感受。

So your brain is constructing the image of a snake

所以，你的大腦正在沒有蛇的地方

where there is no snake,

建立出一條蛇的影像，

and this kind of a hallucination

而這種幻覺

is what neuroscientists like me call "predictions."

就是像我這樣的神經科學家 所謂的「預測」。

Predictions are basically the way your brain works.

預測，基本上是 你大腦運作的方式。

It's business as usual for your brain.

你的大腦「照常營業」時就是這樣。

Predictions are the basis of every experience that you have.

你擁有的所有經驗， 都以預測為基礎。

They are the basis of every action that you take.

你採取的所有行動， 都以預測為基礎。

In fact, predictions are what allow you to understand the words that I'm speaking

事實上，你現在也是靠著預測， 來了解我現在說的字句，

as they come out of my --

這些字句出自我的──

Audience: Mouth. Lisa Feldman Barrett: Mouth. Exactly.

觀眾：嘴巴。 講者：嘴巴，完全正確。

Predictions are primal.

預測是原始的。

They help us to make sense of the world in a quick and efficient way.

預測能協助我們用很快速有效的方式 來賦予這個世界意義。

So your brain does not react to the world.

所以，你的大腦並不是 對這個世界做出反應。

Using past experience,

你的大腦使用過去的經驗，

your brain predicts and constructs

預測並建立出你對於世界的經驗。

your experience of the world.

The way that we see emotions in others are deeply rooted in predictions.

我們怎麼去看待別人的情緒， 也是深根在預測上的。

So to us, it feels like we just look at someone's face,

所以，對我們來說，感覺就像是 我們只是看著某人的臉孔，

and we just read the emotion that's there in their facial expressions

然後我們就去讀出 在他們面部表情中的情緒，

the way that we would read words on a page.

和我們讀紙上的文字是一樣的方式。

But actually, under the hood, your brain is predicting.

但其實在表面之下， 你的大腦正在做預測。

It's using past experience based on similar situations

它會根據相似的情境， 採用過去的經驗，

to try to make meaning.

來試著建構出意義。

This time, you're not making meaning of blobs,

只是這次，你不是在 找出黑白斑的意義，

you're making meaning of facial movements

你是在找出面部動作的意義，

like the curl of a lip or the raise of an eyebrow.

比如噘嘴或是揚眉的意義。

And that stone-faced stare?

那面無表情的凝視呢？

That might be someone who is a remorseless killer,

有可能代表著一個沒有悔意的殺手，

but a stone-faced stare might also mean

但面無表情的凝視也代表著

that someone is stoically accepting defeat,

一個泰然地接收自己被打敗的人，

which is in fact what Chechen culture prescribes for someone

事實上，在車臣文化裡， 人們在佐哈爾札涅夫所處的情境中

in Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's situation.

會做出的就是這種表情。

So the lesson here

所以，這裡的教訓是，

is that emotions that you seem to detect in other people

當你似乎從別人身上察覺到情緒時，

actually come in part from what's inside your own head.

那情緒其實有部分 來自你自己的腦袋。

And this is true in the courtroom,

在法庭上是如此，

but it's also true in the classroom,

但在教室亦是如此，

in the bedroom,

在臥室、

and in the boardroom.

會議室都是如此。

And so here's my concern:

所以我會擔心一件事：

tech companies which shall remain nameless ...

科技公司，就保持暱名好了……

well, maybe not.

也許不用。

You know, Google, Facebook --

你們知道的，Google、臉書……

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

are spending millions of research dollars to build emotion-detection systems,

它們花了數百萬美元在研究上， 想要建立情緒偵測系統，

and they are fundamentally asking the wrong question,

而他們基本上就問錯了問題，

because they're trying to detect emotions in the face and the body,

因為他們試圖偵測 面部和身體中的情緒，

but emotions aren't in your face and body.

但情緒並不在你的面部和身體中。

Physical movements have no intrinsic emotional meaning.

身體動作並沒有 內在固有的情緒意義。

We have to make them meaningful.

是我們要讓動作有意義。

A human or something else has to connect them to the context,

一個人或是其他東西， 必須要把動作和情境連結，

and that makes them meaningful.

這樣動作才會有意義。

That's how we know that a smile might mean sadness

因為這樣，我們才能知道 微笑意味的可能是悲傷，

and a cry might mean happiness,

而哭泣意味的可能是開心，

and a stoic, still face might mean

而不露出任何表情的面孔可能意味著

that you are angrily plotting the demise of your enemy.

你正在氣憤地計畫 要如何殺死你的敵人。

Now, if I haven't already gone out on a limb,

如果這番話還沒嚇跑你，

I'll just edge out on that limb a little further and tell you

那我要再進一步告訴各位，

that the way that you experience your own emotion

你經歷你自己情緒的方式，

is exactly the same process.

是完全一樣的過程。

Your brain is basically making predictions, guesses,

基本上，你的大腦 會做出預測、猜測，

that it's constructing in the moment

都是在當下那個時刻建立起來的，

with billions of neurons working together.

靠數十億的神經元合作完成。

Now your brain does come prewired to make some feelings,

你的大腦確實天生 就會製造某一些感覺，

simple feelings that come from the physiology of your body.

即那些來自你身體 生理狀況的簡單感受。

So when you're born,

所以，在你出生時，

you can make feelings like calmness and agitation,

你可以製造出一些感受， 如冷靜、激動、

excitement, comfort, discomfort.

興奮、舒服、不舒服。

But these simple feelings are not emotions.

但這些簡單的感受並不是情緒。

They're actually with you every waking moment of your life.

其實在你人生中醒著的每一刻， 它們都與你同在。

They are simple summaries of what's going on inside your body,

它們只是你體內所發生之狀況的 簡單總結而已，

kind of like a barometer.

有點像是氣壓計。

But they have very little detail,

但它們沒有什麼細節資訊，

and you need that detail to know what to do next.

你需要細節資訊才能 知道接下來要怎麼做。

What do you about these feelings?

你要如何處理這些感受？

And so how does your brain give you that detail?

而你的大腦要如何提供你細節資訊？

Well, that's what predictions are.

那就是預測了。

Predictions link the sensations in your body

預測的功能是把那些

讓你有簡單感受的身體感知

that give you these simple feelings

和你身邊環境發生的事情連結起來，

with what's going on around you in the world

so that you know what to do.

這樣你才會知道該怎麼做。

And sometimes,

而有時，

those constructions are emotions.

那些建造出來的東西就是情緒。

So for example, if you were to walk into a bakery,

比如，如果你走進一家麵包店，

your brain might predict that you will encounter

你的大腦可能會預測你會聞到

the delicious aroma of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

新鮮出爐巧克力 脆片餅干的美好香味。

I know my brain would predict

我知道我的大腦會預測有

the delicious aroma of freshly baked chocolate cookies.

新鮮出爐巧克力餅干的美好香味。

And our brains might cause our stomachs to churn a little bit,

而我們的大腦可能會造成 我們的胃稍微攪動，

to prepare for eating those cookies.

來準備吃那些餅干。

And if we are correct,

如果我們預測正確，

if in fact some cookies have just come out of the oven,

如果確實有一些餅干剛出爐，

then our brains will have constructed hunger,

那麼我們的大腦就會建立飢餓感，

and we are prepared to munch down those cookies

而我們會準備好要 津津有味地嚼那些餅干，

and digest them in a very efficient way,

然後用非常有效的方式消化它們，

meaning that we can eat a lot of them,

也就是說我們能吃很多餅干，

which would be a really good thing.

這是很棒的事。

You guys are not laughing enough. I'm totally serious.

你們笑得不夠大聲。 我是非常認真的。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But here's the thing.

但重點是，

That churning stomach,

那正在攪動的胃，

if it occurs in a different situation,

如果發生在不同的情況當中，

it can have a completely different meaning.

它可能就會有完全不同的意義。

So if your brain were to predict a churning stomach

如果你的大腦預測會有攪動的胃，

in, say, a hospital room while you're waiting for test results,

且情境是在醫院中， 當你在等待檢查結果時，

then your brain will be constructing dread

那麼你的大腦就會建立懼怕感、

or worry or anxiety,

憂心感，或焦慮感，

and it might cause you to, maybe,

那可能會造成你去……

也許，擰著你的手，

wring your hands

或是深呼吸，或甚至哭泣。

or take a deep breath or even cry.

Right? Same physical sensation, same churning stomach,

對吧？同樣的身體感知， 同樣是攪動的胃，

different experience.

不同的經歷。

And so the lesson here

所以，這裡的教訓是，

is that emotions which seem to happen to you

情緒看似是發生在你身上的，

are actually made by you.

但其實情緒是你製造的。

You are not at the mercy of mythical emotion circuits

你並沒有受到深埋在大腦古老區域的

which are buried deep inside some ancient part of your brain.

神話情緒電路所控制。

You have more control over your emotions

你對你的情緒有更高的控制權，

than you think you do.

比你想的還高。

I don't mean that you can just snap your fingers

我的意思並不是你可以彈一下手指

and change how you feel the way that you would change your clothes,

就改變你的感覺，像換衣服一樣，

but your brain is wired

但你的大腦是設定好的，

so that if you change the ingredients that your brain uses to make emotion,

如果你能改變你的大腦 用來製造情緒的原料，

then you can transform your emotional life.

那麼你就可以轉變你的情緒生活。

So if you change those ingredients today,

如果你今天就改變那些原料，

you're basically teaching your brain how to predict differently tomorrow,

基本上，你是在教你的大腦 如何用不同的方式預測明天，

and this is what I call being the architect of your experience.

我稱之為：成為建造 你自身經驗的建築師。

So here's an example.

這裡有一個例子。

All of us have had a nervous feeling before a test, right?

我們所有人都曾經 在考試之前感到緊張，對吧？

But some people experience crippling anxiety before a test.

但有些人在考試之前，經歷到的 是會影響到他們能力的強烈焦慮。

They have test anxiety.

他們有考試焦慮症。

Based on past experiences of taking tests,

根據過去參加考試的經驗，

their brains predict a hammering heartbeat,

他們的大腦預測會有強烈心跳、

sweaty hands,

掌心冒汗，

so much so that they are unable to actually take the test.

強烈到讓他們無法去進行考試。

They don't perform well,

他們的表現不會好，

and sometimes they not only fail courses but they actually might fail college.

有時，他們不只是選的課沒過， 還可能被退學。

But here's the thing:

但重點是：

a hammering heartbeat is not necessarily anxiety.

強烈的心跳不見得就是焦慮。

It could be that your body is preparing to do battle

也有可能是你的身體在準備要打仗，

and ace that test ...

準備在考試中得第一……

or, you know, give a talk

或你正要做一場演說，

in front of hundreds of people on a stage where you're being filmed.

站在臺上面對數百個人， 同時還被拍攝。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I'm serious.

我是認真的。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And research shows that when students learn

研究顯示，當學生學會

製造出這種充滿能量的決心，

to make this kind of energized determination

instead of anxiety,

而不是製造出焦慮時，

they perform better on tests.

他們考試的表現就會更佳。

And that determination seeds their brain to predict differently in the future

那決心在他們的大腦中播種， 讓大腦用不同的方式去預測未來，

so that they can get their butterflies flying in formation.

所以他們能讓自己不會亂了陣腳。

And if they do that often enough,

如果他們常常這麼做，

they not only can pass a test

他們不僅能通過考試，

but it will be easier for them to pass their courses,

他們也會更容易通過他們選的課，

and they might even finish college,

他們甚至可以大學畢業，

which has a huge impact on their future earning potential.

這對他們未來賺錢的潛能 有很大的影響。

So I call this emotional intelligence in action.

所以我稱之為： 作用中的情緒智慧。

Now you can cultivate this emotional intelligence yourself

你們可以自己培養這種情緒智慧，

and use it in your everyday life.

把它用在你們的日常生活中。

So just, you know,

所以你可以試著

imagine waking up in the morning.

想像在早晨醒來

I'm sure you've had this experience. I know I have.

──我相信你們有過這種經驗， 我知道我有──

You wake up and as you're emerging into consciousness,

你們在早晨醒來，慢慢進入到意識，

you feel this horrible dread,

感覺到一種糟透的懼怕感，

you know, this real wretchedness,

真的很悲慘的感覺，

and immediately, your mind starts to race.

立刻，你的大腦就會開始賽跑。

You start to think about all the crap that you have to do at work

你開始想到你工作時 要處理的所有鳥事，

and you have that mountain of email

有一大堆未讀的電子郵件，

which you will never dig yourself out of ever,

你永遠都不可能讀完，

the phone calls you have to return,

還有待回覆的電話，

and that important meeting across town,

還有在市區另一頭的會議，

and you're going to have to fight traffic,

你還得要對抗塞車，

you'll be late picking your kids up,

你接孩子就一定會遲到，

your dog is sick, and what are you going to make for dinner?

你的狗生病了，還有， 晚餐要煮什麼？

噢，我的天啊！

Oh my God.

What is wrong with your life?

你的人生是怎麼回事？

What is wrong with my life?

我的人生是怎麼回事？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

That mind racing is prediction.

那大腦的快速思考，就是預測。

Your brain is searching to find an explanation

你的大腦在尋找一種解釋，

for those sensations in your body that you experience as wretchedness,

用來解釋那種被你體驗為 「悲慘」的身體感知，

just like you did with the blobby image.

就像剛剛看到黑白斑圖像時， 你的大腦也是這樣做的。

So your brain is trying to explain what caused those sensations

所以，你的大腦在試著解釋 是什麼造成那些感知，

so that you know what to do about them.

這樣你才會知道如何處理它們。

But those sensations

但那些感知，

might not be an indication that anything is wrong with your life.

可能並沒有在暗示 你的人生有什麼問題。

They might have a purely physical cause.

可能單純是身體造成的。

Maybe you're tired.

也許你是累了。

Maybe you didn't sleep enough.

也許你睡眠不足。

Maybe you're hungry.

也許你餓了。

Maybe you're dehydrated.

也許你脫水了。

The next time that you feel intense distress,

下一次你感覺到強烈的煩惱時，

ask yourself:

問問自己：

Could this have a purely physical cause?

這有沒有可能單純是身體造成的？

Is it possible that you can transform

你有沒有可能把情緒上的苦惱

emotional suffering into just mere physical discomfort?

轉變成只是身體上的不舒服？

Now I am not suggesting to you

我並不是在暗示各位

that you can just perform a couple of Jedi mind tricks

你們可以施展幾項 絕地武士的心靈招術，

and talk yourself out of being depressed

就可能可以讓自己不再沮喪、

or anxious or any kind of serious condition.

不再焦慮，或不再有其他嚴重的狀況。

But I am telling you

但我要告訴各位的是，

that you have more control over your emotions than you might imagine,

你比你想像中的還要 更能掌控你的情緒，

and that you have the capacity

且你有能力

to turn down the dial on emotional suffering

把情緒上的苦惱給調低一點，

and its consequences for your life

因而降低它對你人生造成的後果，

by learning how to construct your experiences differently.

做法就是要學習如何用不同的方式 來建立你自己的經驗。

And all of us can do this

我們所有人都能辦到，

and with a little practice, we can get really good at it,

透過一點練習，我們還能夠精通它，

like driving.

就像開車一樣。

At first, it takes a lot of effort,

一開始，要很努力去做，

but eventually it becomes pretty automatic.

最終，會變成像是自動的一樣。

Now I don't know about you,

我不知道你們怎樣，

but I find this to be a really empowering and inspiring message,

但我覺得這個訊息非常振奮人心， 能讓我覺得自己有能力，

and the fact that it's backed up by decades of research

而且它背後還有 數十年的研究在支持，

makes me also happy as a scientist.

讓身為科學家的我也感到很高興。

But I have to also warn you that it does come with some fine print,

但我也得警告你們， 它上面還有小字的警告訊息，

because more control also means more responsibility.

因為越多的控制 就意味著越多的責任。

If you are not at the mercy of mythical emotion circuits

如果你不受到深埋在你大腦內某處

which are buried deep inside your brain somewhere

且會自動觸發的

and which trigger automatically,

神話情緒電路所擺佈，

then who's responsible,

那麼，是由誰在負責？

who is responsible when you behave badly?

當你的行為不當的時候是誰在負責？

You are.

是你。

Not because you're culpable for your emotions,

並不是你應該要 因為你的情緒而受責備，

but because the actions and the experiences that you make today

而是因為你今天的行為和經驗

become your brain's predictions for tomorrow.

會變成你的大腦為明天做的預測。

Sometimes we are responsible for something

有時候，我們要為某些事負責，

not because we're to blame

並不是因為要怪罪我們，

but because we're the only ones who can change it.

而是因為我們是唯一能改變它的人。

Now responsibility is a big word.

「責任」是個很有分量的詞。

It's so big, in fact,

事實上，它的分量大到

that sometimes people feel the need to resist the scientific evidence

讓人們有時候會覺得需要去抗拒

那些情緒是後天建造出來 而非天生內建的科學證據。

that emotions are built and not built in.

The idea that we are responsible for our own emotions

我們要為自己的情緒 負責的這個想法，

seems very hard to swallow.

似乎非常難消化。

But what I'm suggesting to you is you don't have to choke on that idea.

但，我想要告訴你們的是， 你們不需要被那個想法噎到。

You just take a deep breath,

只要深深吸一口氣，

maybe get yourself a glass of water if you need to,

如果需要的話，給自己倒杯水，

and embrace it.

然後擁抱它。

Embrace that responsibility,

擁抱那責任，

because it is the path to a healthier body,

因為這條路會通往更健康的身體、

a more just and informed legal system,

更公平和富有資訊的司法制度，

and a more flexible and potent emotional life.

以及更有彈性、更強大的情緒生活。

Thank you.

謝謝你們。

(Applause)

（掌聲）