How your brain's executive function works -- and how to improve it | Sabine Doebel

Translator: Leslie Gauthier Reviewer: Joanna Pietrulewicz

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: 易帆 余

So I have a confession to make.

我要坦白一件事。

I only recently learned how to drive.

我到最近才學會開車。

And it was really hard.

真的很困難。

Now, this wasn't an older brain thing.

並不是大腦老化的問題。

Do you remember what it was like when you first learned how to drive?

你們還記得自己第一次 學會開車時的狀況嗎？

When every decision you made was so conscious and deliberate?

當時你所做的每一個決策 都有經過深思熟慮嗎？

I'd come home from my lessons completely wiped out mentally.

上完駕訓課回到家， 我的精神完全耗盡。

Now, as a cognitive scientist I know that this is because I was using

身為認知科學家， 我知道這是因為我使用了

a lot of something called executive function.

大量的「執行功能」。

Executive function is our amazing ability to consciously control our thoughts,

執行功能是一種很驚人的能力， 我們能夠有意識地控制思想、

情緒和行為，

emotions and actions

in order to achieve goals ...

以達成目標

like learning how to drive.

比如學會開車。

It's what we use when we need to break away from habit,

我們需要用此功能的時機 包括要打破習慣、

inhibit our impulses and plan ahead.

阻止衝動，和事先規劃。

But we can see it most clearly when things go wrong.

但只有在出狀況的時候， 我們才會明確感覺到它。

Like, have you ever accidentally poured orange juice on your cereal?

比如，你們是否曾經不小心 將柳橙汁倒到麥片早餐裡？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Or, ever start scrolling on Facebook

或者，開始滑手機看臉書，

and suddenly realize you've missed a meeting?

然後突然發現已經 錯過了開會時間？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Or maybe this one's more familiar:

或者，更耳熟的例子：

Ever plan to stop at the store on the way home from work

計畫在下班回家的路上 要先去一家商店，

and then drive all the way home instead on autopilot?

然後下班就像自動導航一樣 直接開車回家了？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

These things happen to everyone.

每個人都會遇到這些事。

And we usually call it absentmindedness,

我們通常稱之為心不在焉，

but what's really happening

但真正發生的狀況是我們 遇到了執行功能失誤。

is we're experiencing a lapse in executive function.

So we use executive function every day in all aspects of our lives.

我們每天在生活的各面向中 都會使用到執行功能。

And over the past 30 years,

過去三十年間，

researchers have found that it predicts all kinds of good things

研究者發現它能協助做各種預測，

in childhood and beyond,

不論是在童年或之後，

like social skills, academic achievement, mental and physical health,

比如預測社交技能、 學術成就、身心健康、

making money, saving money

賺錢、存錢，甚至是否會入獄。

and even staying out of jail.

Sounds great, doesn't it?

聽起來很棒，對吧？

So it's no surprise

所以，並不意外，

that researchers like me are so interested in understanding it

像我這樣的研究者會想要了解它，

and figuring out ways to improve it.

並想辦法改善它。

But lately, executive function has become a huge self-improvement buzzword.

但，最近，在自我提升上， 執行功能已變成了很熱門的行話。

People think you can improve it through brain-training iPhone apps

大家認為我們能透過 iPhone 的大腦訓練應用程式

and computer games,

及電腦遊戲來改善這項功能，

or by practicing it in a specific way, like playing chess.

或是用特殊的方式來練習 這項功能，如下棋。

And researchers are trying to train it in the lab

研究者試圖在實驗室中 訓練這項功能，

in the hopes of improving it and other things related to it,

希望能改善它及和它相關的東西，

like intelligence.

如智力。

Well, I'm here to tell you

嗯，我在這裡告訴各位，

that this way of thinking about executive function is all wrong.

這種關於執行功能的想法大錯特錯。

Brain training won't improve executive function in a broad sense

廣泛來說，大腦訓練 不會改善執行功能，

because it involves exercising it in a narrow way,

因為用狹隘的方式訓練大腦

outside of the real-world contexts in which we actually use it.

是種脫離真實情境的狹隘練習。

So you can master that executive function app on your phone,

所以，你能成為手機裡 執行應用程式的高手，

but that's not going to help you stop pouring OJ on your Cheeerios twice a week.

卻不能幫你戒掉每周兩次 把柳橙汁倒入麥片早餐中的壞習慣。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

If you really want to improve your executive function

如果你真的想要改善執行功能，

in a way that matters for your life,

在生活上有所不同，

you have to understand how it's influenced by context.

你就得要了解這項功能 如何受到情境的影響。

Let me show you what I mean.

讓我進一步說明我的意思。

There's a great test that we use in the lab

在實驗室中，我們 有一項很棒的測驗，

to measure executive function in young children

用來測量小朋友的執行功能，

called the "dimensional change card sort."

叫做「多維度變化的卡片分類」。

In this task, kids have to sort cards in one way --

孩子的任務是要用 一種方式把卡片分類——

like by shape --

比如依形狀來分類——

over and over until they build up a habit.

不斷重覆做，直到建立習慣。

And then they're asked to switch

接著，他們會被要求改變，

and sort the same cards in another way,

用另一種方式將同樣的卡片分類，

like by color.

比如依顏色分類。

Now, really young kids struggle with this.

很小的孩子難以做到。

Three- and four-year-olds will usually keep sorting the cards in the old way

三歲和四歲的孩子通常 會持續用老方法做分類，

no matter how many times you remind them of what they should be doing.

不論你提醒他們多少次 要換方法，還是一樣。

(Video) Woman: If it's blue, put it here. If it's red, put it here.

（影片）女子：藍色的放在 這裡，紅色放在那裡。

Here's a blue one.

這是藍色的。

OK, so now we're going to play a different game.

好，現在我們要玩 一個不同的遊戲。

We're not going to play the color game anymore.

我們不再玩顏色遊戲了。

Now we're going to play the shape game,

我們要來玩形狀遊戲，

and in the shape game,

在形狀遊戲中，

all the stars go here and all the trucks go here, OK?

所有的星星都要放這裡， 卡車放這裡，好嗎？

Stars go here, trucks go here.

星星放這裡，卡車放這裡。

Where do the stars go?

星星放哪裡？

And where do the trucks go?

卡車放哪裡？

Excellent.

太棒了。

OK, stars go here, trucks go here.

好，星星放這裡，卡車放這裡。

Here's a truck.

這是卡車。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Stars go here, trucks go here.

星星放這裡，卡車放這裡。

Here's a star.

這是星星。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

SB: So it's really compelling,

講者：真的很引人注目，

and it's really obvious when she fails to use her executive function.

很顯然她無法使用她的執行功能。

But here's the thing:

但，重點是：

we could train her on this task and others like it

我們用這項任務及其它 類似的任務來訓練她，

and eventually she'd improve,

最終，她能進步，

but does that mean

但這是否也意味著在實驗室之外， 她的執行功能也得到了提升？

that she would've improved her executive function outside of the lab?

No, because in the real world, she'll need to use executive function

不，因為，在真實世界中， 她要用執行功能做的事，

to do a lot more than switching between shape and color.

遠遠超過只是在 形狀和顏色之間轉換。

She'll need to switch from adding to multiplying

她得要從加法轉換到乘法，

or from playing to tidying up

或從玩耍轉變到收拾東西，

or from thinking about her own feelings to thinking about her friend.

或從想著她自己的感覺 轉換到想著她的朋友。

And success in real-world situations depends on things

在真實世界的情況中能否成功

就要看你的動機有多強 及你的同儕在做什麼等等。

like how motivated you are and what your peers are doing.

And it also depends on the strategies that you execute

此外，也要看你在特定情況中

when you're using executive function in a particular situation.

使用執行功能時採用的策略是什麼。

So what I'm saying is that context really matters.

我要說的是，情境真的很重要。

Now let me give you an example from my research.

讓我舉個例子， 這個例子出自我的研究。

I recently brought in a bunch of kids to do the classic marshmallow test,

我最近帶了一群孩子 來做經典的棉花糖測驗，

which is a measure of delay of gratification

它被用於測量延遲滿足，

that also likely requires a lot of executive function.

而延遲滿足需要用到大量的執行功能。

So you may have heard about this test,

很多人可能聽過這項測驗，

but basically, kids are given a choice.

基本上，我們要孩子做選擇。

They can have one marshmallow right away,

他們可以馬上拿到一顆棉花糖，

or if they can wait for me to go to the other room

或者，如果他們能 等我到另一間房間，

and get more marshmallows,

拿更多的棉花糖回來，

they can have two instead.

他們就可以得到兩顆。

Now, most kids really want that second marshmallow,

大部分的孩子都會 想要第二顆棉花糖，

but the key question is: How long can they wait?

但關鍵在於：他們能等多久？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Now, I added a twist to look at the effects of context.

我加上一點小改變， 來觀察情境造成的影響。

I told each kid that they were in a group,

我告訴每個孩子， 他們屬於一個小組，

like the green group,

比如綠色小組，

and I even gave them a green T-shirt to wear.

我甚至還給他們綠色的 T 恤穿。

And I said, "Your group waited for two marshmallows,

我說：「你的小組為了得到 第二顆棉花糖而等待了，

and this other group, the orange group,

另一組，橘色小組，

did not."

則沒有等。」

Or I said the opposite:

或者我會說相反的話：

"Your group didn't wait for two marshmallows

「你的小組沒有等第二顆 棉花糖，而另一組等了。」

and this other group did."

And then I left the kid alone in the room

接著，我留下孩子單獨在房間中，

and I watched on a webcam to see how long they waited.

我用網路攝影機監看 他們能夠等多久。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So what I found was that kids who believed

我發現，

如果孩子相信他所屬的小組 有等到兩顆棉花糖，

that their group waited for two marshmallows

were themselves more likely to wait.

他自己也比較有可能會等待。

So they were influenced by a peer group that they'd never even met.

他們會受到根本沒見過面的 同儕團體所影響。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Pretty cool, isn't it?

挺酷的，對吧？

Well, so with this result I still didn't know

得到這樣的結果，我仍然不知道

if they were just copying their group or if it was something deeper than that.

是從眾心理還是有什麼 更深層的因素導致了這個結果。

So I brought in some more kids,

所以我找來了更多孩子， 在棉花糖測驗之後，

and after the marshmallow test, I showed them pictures of pairs of kids,

我讓他們看一些照片， 照片上都有兩個孩子，

and I told them, "One of these kids likes to have things right away,

我告訴他們：「其中一個孩子 喜歡馬上就拿到東西，

like cookies and stickers.

比如餅乾和貼紙。

And the other kid likes to wait

另一個孩子喜歡為了 得到更多而等待。」

so that they can have more of these things."

And then I asked them,

接著，我問他們：「你比較喜歡 這兩個孩子中的哪一個？

"Which one of these two kids do you like more

and who would you want to play with?"

你想和哪一個玩？」

And what I found was that kids who believed that their group waited

我發現，當孩子相信 他所屬的小組有等待，

tended to prefer other kids who liked to wait for things.

他就比較會偏好其他 也會等待東西的孩子。

So learning what their group did made them value waiting more.

所以，知道所屬的小組做了什麼， 就會讓他們更珍視等待。

And not only that,

不僅如此，

these kids likely used executive function

這些孩子很可能會用執行功能

to generate strategies to help themselves wait,

來產生策略，協助他們自己等待，

like sitting on their hands or turning away from the marshmallow

比如坐在他們的手上， 或是轉向看不到棉花糖的方向，

or singing a song to distract themselves.

或是唱歌讓自己分心。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So what this all shows is just how much context matters.

這就顯示出情境的重要性有多高。

It's not that these kids had good executive function or bad,

並不是這些孩子有比較好 或比較差的執行功能，

it's that the context helped them use it better.

而是情境因素幫助他們 更好地運用這項能力。

So what does this mean for you and for your kids?

所以，對你及你的孩子， 這些發現有什麼意義？

Well, let's say that you want to learn Spanish.

比如說你想要學西班牙語。

You could try changing your context

你可以嘗試改變你所處的環境，

and surrounding yourself with other people who also want to learn,

讓你周圍都是想要 學習西班牙語的人，

and even better if these are people that you really like.

如果這些人又是你真心 喜歡的人，那就更好了。

That way you'll be more motivated to use executive function.

這麼一來，你使用 執行功能的動機就會更強。

Or let's say that you want to help your child do better on her math homework.

或者，比如你想要協助你的孩子 把數學作業做得更好。

You could teach her strategies to use executive function

你可以教她在特定的情境中

in that particular context,

使用執行功能的策略，

like putting her phone away before she starts studying

比如在開始用功之前先收起手機，

or planning to reward herself after studying for an hour.

或是規劃在用功一小時後獎勵自己。

Now, I don't want to make it sound like context is everything.

我的意思並不是環境決定一切。

Executive function is really complex, and it's shaped by numerous factors.

執行功能相當複雜， 形塑它的因子非常多。

But what I want you to remember

但我希望各位記住，

is if you want to improve your executive function

如果你想要在生活中的某個面向上

in some aspect of your life,

改善你的執行功能，

don't look for quick fixes.

不要走捷徑。

Think about the context

想想情境，

and how you can make your goals matter more to you,

要如何讓自己更重視目標，

and how you can use strategies

和在那特定的情況中 如何運用策略協助自己。

to help yourself in that particular situation.

I think the ancient Greeks said it best when they said, "Know thyself."

我認為有句古希臘諺語 說得很好：「了解你自己。」

And a key part of this is knowing how context shapes your behavior

關鍵在於要知道 情境如何形塑你的行為，

and how you can use that knowledge to change for the better.

和知道了之後要如何改善。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）