演讲题目：How friendship affects your brain

演讲简介：

如果说青春期形成的友谊看起来特别特殊，那是因为确有其实。幼儿时期、青春期与成年人的友谊形成的方式都有小小的不同，部分源于大脑在人生不同阶段运转的区别。我们给予朋友的价值、认知与连接性在青春期时产生变化。



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Friendships can hold an exceptional place in our life stories.

友谊可以在我们人生之歌里占据异乎寻常的位置。

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

是什么让这类关系这般独特呢？

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

在潜心研究科学方面的解说之前，我们来现场观看一场友谊吧。

If I could somehow design a best friend, you know, put together all the ideal qualities of my perfect match,

如果我能设法塑造出一位闺蜜的话，你懂的，将我心目中完美搭档的所有理想特征融为一体，

that person would pale in comparison to Priya.

那个人与普里雅相比也一定还是相形见绌。

She can turn any situation into a good time— chemistry lab, band practice.

她可以将任何情况变成美好的时光--化学实验室、乐队练习。

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

我想说的是，我从没比和普里雅在一起时笑得更欢快。

And she's always there for me.

而且，她总是陪伴在我身旁。

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

比如去年，我被泰（Te）甩了后——

I don't even want to mention their name.

算了别提那人渣了。

It felt like my whole world was crashing down.

那时我的感觉就像是整个天都塌了。

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

但我一告诉普里雅，她立马就出现在我家门口。

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

我崩溃不已，她却坐在了我身旁，耐心聆听着。

We're always on the same page; it's as if we can read each other's minds!

我们总是同步一致，仿佛能读懂对方的心思！

And we can talk for hours— about anything.

聊天都能天马行空地聊上好几个小时。

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

至少我妈就会把电话费当作数据来证明这一点。

If it seems like friendships formed in adolescence are particularly special, that's because they are.

如果说青春期形成的友谊看起来特别特殊，那是因为确有其实。

Early childhood, adolescent, and adult friendships all manifest a little differently in part

幼儿时期、青春期与成年人的友谊形成的方式都有小小的不同，

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

部分源于大脑在人生不同阶段运转的区别。

Adolescence is a unique time when peer relationships take focus, and thanks to the developing brain,

青春期是个同龄关系成为焦点的特殊时期，而随着大脑的逐渐发育，

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

我们给予朋友的价值、认知与连接性在青春期时产生变化。

Teenage friends can seem attached at the hip.

青少年时期的朋友或许会显得形影不离。

Scientists describe adolescence as a social reorientation as teenagers begin to spend as much or more time with their friends than with their parents.

科学家把青春期比喻为青年们在重新定位自己在社会上的位置的阶段。这个时期的青年，与朋友相处的时间开始比和父母共享天伦的光阴有过之而无不及。

This drive to hang with pals may be due to changes in the brain's reward center, known as the ventral striatum.

这种与伙伴相伴的动力或许源于大脑犒赏系统中心——也就是腹侧纹状体的变化。

Its activation makes hanging out with others enjoyable and motivates you to spend more time with them.

它一旦被激活，就会使与人打交道变得更为愉悦，从而促使你多与他人相处。

Neuroimaging studies show that this region is highly reactive during your teenage years,

神经影像学的研究显示，这处大脑区域在青年期的反应性非常高。

which may explain why adolescents seem to place a higher value on social interactions than children or adults.

这或许就是青少年似乎比小孩或大人更看重社交的原因。

Teenage friendships can also feel more intimate than the friendships of your childhood.

青年期的友谊也会比幼儿时期的交情更显亲密。

This deeper connection is possible thanks to improvements in what scientists call Theory of Mind.

这层更深的关系可能源于被科学家称为心智理论概念的进步。

Theory of Mind is the ability to understand others' emotions, thoughts, motivations, and points of view,

心智理论是人们理解其他人情绪、思绪、动机与观点，

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

并且认识到这些因人而异的能力。

While it may seem intuitive, this ability hinges on the careful coordination of various brain regions, sometimes referred to as the social brain.

这种能力虽然听起来理所当然，却取决于大脑里组成社交大脑的各个区域的悉心协调。

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

心智理论于婴儿18个月左右开始发育。

Before that, it's thought they believe that everyone perceives and knows exactly what they know.

根据我们所推测，在那之前，他们相信别人所知所感皆与他们自己一致。

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

我们曾经认为孩子到了五岁就在这一方面完全发育了，

but scientists now know that Theory of Mind continues to improve and mature well into your teenage years and beyond.

但是科学家现在发现心智理论其实与年龄的增长—— 乃至青春期往后——一并进化成熟。

Likewise, regions within the social brain show increased connectivity during adolescence compared with childhood.

同样地，社交大脑里的区域在青春期时比在幼儿时期显示的连通性高出许多。

As a result, teens can better understand their friend's perspectives, allowing for deeper connections to flourish.

由此一来，青年们能更好地互相了解朋友们的观点，从而促使更深的牵绊滋生而成。

In the closest friendships, it can almost feel as if you're metaphysically connected— two bodies and minds, perfectly in sync.

在最亲密的友谊里，你甚至可能感觉与朋友抽象化地在身心两侧连结为一体，举步并行。

And there is science to this!

而这是有科学认证的！

Your ability to connect with others somewhat depends on the coordination of actions, emotions, physiology, and thoughts.

你与他人相交的能力略微取决于行动、情绪、体格与思想的协调度。

This is what psychologists call interpersonal synchrony.

这就是被心理学家们称为人际同步的概念。

You first show signs of the ability to sync with others as infants— synchronizing movements and babbling with your parents.

人们最初显示与他人同步的能力是在婴儿时期——以行动和呀呀出声模仿双亲的时候。

As you get older and spend more time outside the home, you increasingly show this synchrony with your peers.

当你长大成人，在家外度过的时间稍长后，你将与同龄人们更多地产生这种同步性。

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

打个比方说：你与朋友一同逛街时，

Often without consciously thinking, you stroll at the same pace and follow the same path.

常常会在不自觉的情况下与友人同速同道而行。

You and your best friend may not be only on the same page, but also scientifically, in step.

你与你的闺蜜或许不只是同心同意，甚至从科学上而言，同步而行。