3 Reasons to Take Risks Like a Teenager | Adriana Galván | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 麗玲 辛

Imagine if there existed a group of people who laugh easily,

想像一下，有一群人， 他們很容易開懷，

could learn faster than anyone in this room

學習速度比在座任何人都快，

and who embrace the uncertainty of life.

且很歡迎人生的不確定性。

We might call them superhumans.

我們可能會稱他們為超人。

We'd certainly study them, celebrate them, we'd want to be them.

我們肯定會研究他們，讚頌他們， 我們會想跟他們一樣。

Well, it turns out this magical group of people walk among us.

結果發現，這群充滿魔力的人 就在我們身邊。

But we don't call them superhumans.

只是我們稱他們為 青少年／女，而非超人。

We call them teenagers.

Teenagers or adolescents or people between the ages of 10 to 25.

青少年／女、青春期少年／女， 或十到二十五歲的人，

And although this time in life has tended to get a bad rap,

儘管人生的這個時期 名聲通常都不是很好，

I'm going to tell you three things we could all learn

我還是要告訴各位，我們都能 從這個美好時期學到三課。

from this amazing time in life.

You might ask yourself,

各位可能在想：

how does she know so much about teenagers?

她怎麼會這麼了解青少年／女？

Well, besides the fact that I used to be one

除了我以前也當過青少女，

and that I'm now the parent of one,

且我家裡現在也有個青春期孩子，

I'm also a neuroscientist who has spent the past 25 years

我還是神經科學家，

過去二十五年都在研究 青春期少年／女的大腦。

doing research on the adolescent brain.

And I've learned that there's an explosion of growth

我發現，在這個時期 會有爆炸性的成長，

during this time in life that leads to some pretty amazing superpowers.

促成了一些非常驚人的超能力。

For example, besides when we are babies,

比如，除了嬰兒時期之外，

our brains are most fertile for learning during adolescence,

我們的大腦學習 最有成效的時期就是青春期，

and that's necessary for us to become adults.

那是我們轉大人的必要條件。

So what can all of us in this room learn from adolescents?

所以，在座各位能從青春期 少年／女身上學到什麼？

Well, the first is they don't shy away from uncertainty.

第一，他們不會迴避不確定性。

Most adults fear uncertainty.

多數成人害怕不確定性，我們不喜歡 不知道接下來會發生什麼事。

We don't like when we don't know what's going to happen next.

But teens, they embrace the surprises in life,

但青少年／女會欣然 接受人生中的驚喜，

whether it's their first job

不論是他們的第一份工作、 學開車，或初吻。

or they're learning to drive or their first kiss.

These things are thrilling because of the uncertainty.

正因為充滿不確定性， 這些事才會讓人興奮。

It's because the adolescent brain doesn't panic

也因為青少年／女的大腦 不會因未預期的新事物而慌張，

when things are new or unexpected,

and in fact, it releases more dopamine in these moments.

事實上，在這類時刻， 他們的大腦還會釋放更多多巴胺。

You may know that dopamine is a hormone

各位可能知道，我們在做喜愛的事情時 就會釋放多巴胺這種荷爾蒙。

that we release when we're doing something we love.

Well, it's also a motivating chemical

它也是種有激勵作用的化學物質，

that literally motivates adolescents to embrace the uncertainty

它真的能夠激勵青春期 少年／女去擁抱不確定性，

and to see the surprises in life

並把人生中出乎意料的事 視為是正面的學習機會。

as positive learning opportunities.

And that attribute during adolescence,

而青春期的特色，

to lean into the new and unexpected aspects of what comes at us,

也就是張開雙手，歡迎 未預期的新事物到來，

is important for us to prepare for adulthood.

這有助於我們為成年期做好準備。

So that's lesson number one, to lean into uncertainty.

這是第一課，擁抱不確定性。

What's the second thing we could learn from adolescents?

我們可以向青春期少年／女 學的第二課是什麼？

How good they are at challenging the status quo and stirring things up.

他們很擅長挑戰現狀和興風作浪。

These are incredible leadership qualities

這些都是很棒的領導特質， 讓他們成為很有遠見的未來特使。

that make them visionary emissaries of the future.

And because their brains are designed to respond

且因為他們的大腦原本就歡迎 不確定性，並能做出因應，

and embrace uncertainty,

they're OK rejecting what has been in favor of what could be.

所以他們能拒絕接受舊習， 轉而尋求其他可能性。

And that's because the adolescent brain

那是因為青春期大腦 不太擔心有什麼可能會出錯，

isn't so worried about everything that can go wrong,

and instead is exhilarated by the possibility of making change.

反而是對改變的可能性感到興奮。

And thank goodness we have a time in life when we're so bold and adventurous.

謝天謝地，我們在人生中 有段這麼大膽且敢於冒險的時期。

But we're not the only ones on this Earth who think that way.

但地球上會這樣想的不只有我們。

It turns out that most species on Earth have an adolescent period,

事實證明，地球上 大部分的物種都有青春期，

when we're more likely to take risks and explore the world.

在這個時期，我們比較有可能 冒風險、探索世界。

All animals do what human adolescents do during this time.

在這個時期，動物的行為 也和人類青春期少年／女一樣。

We spend more time with peers, we squabble with adults,

會花更多時間與同儕在一起， 會跟成年人爭吵，

we eat more food,

會吃更多食物，

and we stumble through a changing social landscape

跌跌撞撞適應不斷變化的社會環境，

because becoming an adult doesn't happen overnight.

因為長大成人不是一夕發生的改變。

Whether you're a puppy or a human adolescent,

不論你是小狗或青春期人類， 都要時間、經歷，及學習才會長大。

it takes time, experience and learning.

But guess what?

但你知道嗎？這就是 青春期大腦如此特別的原因。

This is what makes the adolescent brain so special.

It's literally designed to help kids transform into the next dimension of life.

它的設計就是要幫助孩子 轉型到人生中的下一個階段。

And they do this by learning,

怎麼做到？靠的是學習、 冒風險，有時還要犯些錯。

by taking risks,

by sometimes making mistakes.

When our kids are babies, we don't challenge this process.

孩子在嬰兒期時， 我們不會去質疑這個過程。

A baby learning to walk actually falls about 100 times a day.

嬰兒要學會走路， 每天會摔跤幾百次。

A baby learning to talk babbles before producing words.

學說話的嬰兒在能說出字詞之前 都是含糊不清地牙牙學語。

And sometimes they stumble while they're doing this.

過程中有時就是走得跌跌撞撞。

And our teenagers are doing the same thing.

而青少年／女也在做同樣的事。

They're not learning to walk and to talk, of course,

當然，他們不是在學習走路和說話，

but they're also learning new skills.

但他們也是在學習新技能。

And in this way, they're kind of like scientists

就這方面來說，他們有點像科學家，

because they're exploring the world around them through trial and error.

因為他們用嘗試錯誤法 來探索他們周遭的世界。

So that's the second lesson,

這是第二課，

is to feel comfortable stumbling

安心自在地去跌跌撞撞、 去實驗嘗試、去興風作浪。

and to experiment and to stir things up.

What's number three?

第三課是什麼？

Teenagers are strategic risk takers.

青少年／女是具戰略 眼光的風險承擔者。

I'll let that sink in and then I'm going to say it again.

讓大家沉澱一下， 我會再說一次。

Teenagers are strategic risk takers.

青少年／女是具戰略 眼光的風險承擔者。

And this is because their brains are really good at deciding

這是因為他們的大腦

非常擅長判定何時冒險、 何時不該冒險。

when they should and shouldn't take a risk.

More than you might think,

這可能超出各位的想像，

their risks aren't random, and in fact they may be beneficial.

他們的風險並非隨機的， 事實上可能還是有益的。

I know this because we did a brain-imaging study in the lab,

我會知道是因為我們在實驗室 做了一項腦部造影研究，

and we found that while the adults were really good

我們發現，成人非常擅長 說服自己不要冒險，

at talking themselves out of taking a risk,

even when it made sense to do so,

即使冒風險是合理的，

the teenagers were more deliberative.

相對的，青少年／女更深思熟慮。

And we were blown away to see that their brains were evaluating

且我們有個驚人的發現： 他們的大腦會評估

the positive risks and the negative risks.

正面風險和負面風險。

And this was tied to activation in a brain region

而這時相應啟動的大腦區域

that is really good at helping us weigh the pros and cons of taking a risk.

非常擅長幫助我們 衡量冒風險的優缺點。

And you might wonder, well,

各位可能很好奇，

is taking a risk in the lab the same as taking a risk in real life?

在實驗室中冒風險 和在現實中冒風險會一樣嗎？

And the answer is it doesn't really matter

答案是無所謂，因為只要是 冒風險，大腦就會一視同仁。

because the brain treats all risk taking the same.

And so what we learned from the study

因此，我們從研究中得知，

is that adolescents are more willing to take risks

青春期少年／女比較願意冒風險的 原因是他們大腦發生的變化，

because of the changes happening in their brain,

and that this is beneficial for them to do so.

且冒風險對他們而言是有益的。

And when I say beneficial for them to do so,

我所謂冒風險對他們有益，

I'm not talking about the bad risks that might get them into trouble.

指的並不是會讓他們 惹上麻煩的不當風險。

我指的是青少年／女 常常在冒的妥當風險，

I'm thinking about the good risks that we see teenagers take all the time,

like leaving home for a new adventure

比如離家展開新冒險，

or standing up for things that they believe in.

或為他們的信念挺身而出。

These are the good risks we want to encourage.

這些都是我們應該鼓勵的妥當風險。

And it's not to say that teenagers never worry about taking a risk

且並不是說青少年／女 冒風險時從來不會擔心

或絕不會因此而緊張，

or never get nervous about it,

but they're just more focused on the rewards.

他們只是更專注在 能得到的獎勵上。

那是因為他們很幸運 有個非常敏感的獎勵系統。

And that's because they're lucky to have a really excitable reward system.

All of us release dopamine when we're doing something we love,

我先前提過，每個人在做 自己喜歡的事時都會釋放多巴胺。

as I mentioned before.

But during adolescence,

但在青春期，

similar to in times of uncertainty,

如同在充滿不確定性的時刻，

the brain releases more dopamine when it receives a reward.

大腦在得到獎勵時 會釋放更多的多巴胺。

And if adults felt that same rush when we got a reward or took a risk,

如果成人在得到獎勵 或冒風險時感到同等的興奮，

we'd all act a lot more like teenagers.

我們的行為舉止就會更像青少年。

So I hope by now that you agree with me

我希望講到這裡， 各位都能認同我所說的，

that adolescents are pretty special

青春期少年／女很特別， 有時他們會背上壞名聲，

and that sometimes they get a bad rap,

but are they perfect?

但他們完美嗎？沒有人是完美的。

No one's perfect.

For one thing, they doubt themselves.

首先，他們會懷疑自己。

The very part of their brain

幫助他們成為強大 社交生物的那塊大腦區域

that helps them be powerful, social creatures

can lead to self-doubt and social comparison.

也會讓他們自我懷疑和互相比較。

And they want to be accepted by their peers.

他們想被同儕接受。 事實上，每個人都想。

In fact, all of us do.

For them, it means adopting the same fashion trends

對他們來說，被同儕接受就是 追求同樣的潮流或喜歡一樣的音樂。

or liking the same music.

And it's a delicate balance between wanting to be accepted by a peer group

這是種微妙的平衡，

想要被同儕團體接受， 也想要脫穎而出、與眾不同。

and also wanting to stand out and be unique.

And that's something that we all grapple with throughout life.

這是我們每個人要花一生 去學習處理的課題。

But for adolescents, it may be higher stakes,

但對青春期少年／女來說， 代價可能比較高，

because this kind of interest in wanting to be accepted by a peer group

因為他們很重視同儕的接納，

can lead to the unhealthy aspects of conformity,

可能會導致一些 不健康的從眾行為，如：

like body shaming or eating disorders,

外貌羞恥、飲食失調， 或朝錯誤的源頭尋求認可。

or seeking approval from the wrong sources.

So what can we as adults do to help them gain their confidence?

那麼，我們成人可以做什麼 來幫助他們發展自信？

Well, for one, we can encourage that positive risk taking

其中之一是鼓勵我先前 提到的，冒正向的風險。

that I mentioned before.

The other thing we can do is to cheer them on,

我們也可以為他們加油打氣，

whether they're winning

不論他們在邁入成年期前的 學習過程，順利進行或跌跌撞撞。

or whether they're stumbling through that learning process

that leads to adulthood.

So in closing, I'll just remind us

在最後，我只想提醒大家， 青春期是人生中的塑造時期，

that adolescence is a formative time in life

that is necessary for all of us and for our species

我們所有人及所有物種 都需要青春期，

and that we can learn a lot from adolescence.

且我們向青春期學習也能獲益良多。

And whether or not you lean into uncertainty and taking risks,

無論你是否歡迎不確定性和冒風險，

I do hope that you'll embrace a more teen spirit.

我都希望你能擁抱更青春的精神。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）