距离高考仅剩10天，是不是有不少同学已经悄然进入了“自由发挥”状态？

凡是考试经验丰富的人，应该都听过这句看似不务正业的俗语——“大考大玩，小考小玩”。

先别急着嗤之以鼻，这句话背后，其实藏着心理学中一个极为经典的理论：耶克斯-多德森定律。

该定律指出：对于简单或熟悉的任务，工作效率会随动机（压力）水平的提高而上升；但当任务难度加大、复杂度增加时，动机的最佳水平反而会逐渐下降。

也就是说，越重要的考试、越难的题目，过度紧张和“用力过猛”反而会拖垮表现——适度的放松，才是最优解。

高考临近，如何调整自己的压力水平使自己处于最佳表现状态？

原文来源：[url]https://www.psychologs.com/pressure-makes-diamonds-growth-or-collapse-the-science-of-stress-and-performance/?noamp=mobile#respond

Pressure Makes Diamonds: Growth or Collapse? The Science of Stress and Performance

压力铸就钻石：成长还是崩溃？压力与表现的科学

The idea of pressure creating diamonds has been used as a motivational speech, implying that human excellence is simply a result of high-intensity suffering over an extended period. This story is frequently invoked (援引) in business and other academic settings to support the idea of tough working conditions, and that the more difficult the work in a harsh (严酷的) environment, the more brilliant the outcome.

“压力铸就钻石”这一观点常被用作励志演讲，暗示人类的卓越仅仅是长期高强度痛苦的结果。在商业及其他学术场合中，人们常援引这一论调，来支持艰苦工作条件的合理性。并且认为工作越艰难，环境越恶劣，成果就越辉煌。

motivational adj 激发性的（motivation + -al）

excellence n 优秀；卓越（excellent + -ce）

suffering n 痛苦（suffer + -ing）

setting n 背景

But psychological studies indicate otherwise, that the reality is much more complicated. Although some level of tension is required when moving forward, the biological and cognitive systems that drive the performance of human beings are not composed of carbon; they are organic, and they possess limits to breaking. The Yerkes-Dodson Law can be used to disprove the myth of the diamond and to argue that the only way to grow is to carefully balance stress, as opposed to endlessly striving to suffer.

但心理学研究表明并非如此，现实要复杂得多。尽管前进过程中需要一定程度的张力，但驱动人类表现的生物和认知系统并不是由碳元素构成的；它们是有机的，是有断裂极限的。耶克斯-多德森定律可以用于反驳这一钻石神话，并证明成长的唯一途径是谨慎地平衡压力，而不是无休止地奋力承压。

otherwise adv 与之大不相同

disprove v 证明……是错误的（dis- + prove）

argue v 证明

as opposed to 而不是

01

The Biological Necessity of Tension

张力的生理必要性

necessity n 必要



It would be a mistake to say that pressure is completely harmful and neglect the basic principles of human biology. This is psychologically addressedin the context of good stress or Eustress (良性压力). It is the source of the excitement or the healthy stress of a deadline that motivates a person to enlist his or her resources and act.

如果说压力是完全有害的，从而忽视了人体生理的基本规律，那就是一种错误。这在心理学上被称为“良性压力”（或称“好压力”）。它是兴奋感的来源，是截止日期带来的健康压力，能激励一个人调动自身资源并采取行动。

address v [熟词生义] 称呼

in the context of 在……情况下；在……背景下

enlist v 争取；谋取（en- + list）

The human psyche tends to sink into apathy (懈怠) without some amount of pressure. Here, the metaphor of the diamond has some grain of truth; growth does not occur in a vacuum (真空) of comfort. But the issue arises when the pressure that triggers focus is not differentiated from the pressure that results in structural breakdown.

如果没有一定程度的压力，人的心理往往会变得懈怠。在此处，“钻石”的比喻确有几分道理：成长确实不会发生在舒适的真空之中。但是，当激发专注的压力与导致结构性崩溃的压力之间没有区别时，问题就出现了。

psyche n 精神；心灵

sink into 陷入

grain [熟词生义] n 少量；一点儿

have grain of 有一点儿

trigger v 触发

differentiate v 区别；区分

breakdown n 精神崩溃

02

Yerkes-Dodson Law: The Curve (曲线) of Optimal (最佳的) Performance

耶克斯-多德森定律：最佳表现曲线



In 1908, Robert Yerkes and John Dodson established the psychology of arousal and performance, successfully challenging the long-held assumption that more is always better. Their results were referred to as the Yerkes-Dodson Law, which indicated that performance rises with physiological or mental arousal but only up to a certain extent.

1908年，罗伯特·耶克斯和约翰·多德森提出了关于唤醒水平与表现关系的心理学理论，成功挑战了人们长期所持的“压力越大，效果越好”的假设。他们的研究结果被称为“耶克斯-多德森定律”，该定律表明，表现水平会随着生理或心理唤醒程度的提高而上升，但仅限于一定程度之内。

arousal n 激发（arouse + -al）

assumption n 假定

refer to ... as 称……为

The law tends to be in the form of an inverted (倒置的) U-shaped curve. Boredom and lack of motivation are the result of too little pressure. The highest point is the “Optimal Arousal” level, during which a person is in optimum concentration without engaging the survival instincts. Nevertheless, beyond this peak, performance does not level off but plummets (暴跌) into the area of distress.

这一定律通常呈现为一条倒U形曲线。压力过小会导致倦怠和缺乏动力。曲线的最高点即为“最佳唤醒水平”，此时人处于最佳专注状态，且不会触发生存本能。然而，一旦超过这个峰值，人的表现并不会趋于平稳，而是会急剧下降，跌入困顿的压力区间。

engage v 使参与；使参加

level off 保持稳定（不再波动）

03

The Breaking Point: Why Too Much Pressure Hinders (阻碍) Performance

极点：为什么过大的压力会阻碍表现



The inspirational idea that the harder, the better, fails to consider the mental burden involved in carrying out multifaceted (多方面的) tasks. However, high pressure may be helpful in simple, repetitive tasks. It becomes a neurochemical (神经化学的) toxin (毒素) during tasks demanding creativity or intellectual work. When the pressure becomes chronic (慢性的), the Prefrontal Cortex (额前皮质), or rationalthought part of the brain, starts to lose functional dominance, with the catecholamine (儿茶酚胺) release of stress shifting mental control to the Amygdala (杏仁体), which controls the fight-or-flight reaction.

“越艰难越出色”这种鼓舞人心的观点，未能考虑到执行复杂任务时所承受的精神负担。然而，在简单、重复性的任务中，高压可能确实有帮助。在需要创造力或智力投入的任务中，压力就会变成一种神经化学毒素。当压力变成慢性状态时，大脑中负责理性思维的前额叶皮层开始丧失功能主导地位——压力带来的儿茶酚胺的释放会将心理控制权转移给控制“战斗或逃跑”反应的杏仁核。

inspirational adj 鼓舞人心的（inspiration + -al）

fail v 未能（做到）

repetitive adj 重复乏味的

rational adj 理性的

dominance n 支配地位（dominant + -ce）

fight-or-flight reaction 或战或逃反应 应激反应的一种，该反应指机体在应激状态下产生的生理及心理变化，主要表现为通过应对威胁或逃离危险来适应环境压力，常伴随愤怒、恐惧、焦虑等情绪以及机体活动增强的现象。

In this state, the person is not growing — the individual is merely surviving. Too much hardship results in some physiological and cognitive deficits (亏损):

在这种状态下，人没有在成长——只是在求生。过度的艰苦会导致一系列生理和认知缺陷：

Less Cognitive Flexibility: In the face of severe stress, individuals find themselves reverting (恢复) to rigid, and in most cases ineffective habits instead of attempting to come up with creative resolutions.

认知灵活性降低：面对重大压力时，人们会发现自己退回到僵化的、且在大多数情况下无效的习惯中，而不是尝试提出创造性的解决方案。

flexibility n 灵活性（flexible + -ility）

rigid adj 僵化的

ineffective adj 无效果的（in- + effective）

come up with sth 想出；提出（主意或计划）

Reduced Learning: Excessive cortisol (皮质醇) levels over time have the ability toinhibit (抑制) the development of new neural connections in the hippocampus (海马体), the brain’s learning centre.

学习能力下降：随着时间的推移，过高的皮质醇水平会抑制大脑的学习中枢——海马体中新的神经连接的形成。

have the ability to 有能力做某事

Burnout: Long-term pressure causes physical and emotional exhaustion. This brings any potential for future growth to a complete halt (停止).

倦怠：长期压力会导致身心俱疲。这会完全阻断未来成长的可能性。

04

Challenging the Motivational Myth

挑战励志神话

The Pressure Creates Diamonds story can be Toxic Positivity. When it is suggested that suffering is the only way to develop, those who are under unrealistic expectations are shamed unintentionally. Growth is an exchange between the individual and the environment. This involves cycles of exertion (努力) followed by periods of rest.

“压力铸造钻石”的论调可能是一种“有毒的积极心态”。当它宣称苦难是成长的唯一途径时，那些背负不切实际期望的人就会在无意中蒙受羞辱。成长是个体与环境之间的一种交换，其中包含付出努力与休息恢复的循环交替。

unrealistic adj 不切实际的（un- + realistic）

unintentionally adv 无意地

exchange n 交换

The wisdom to navigate the Yerkes-Dodson curve is true resilience, rather than the ability to withstand (承受) infinite (无限的) pressure. The material fails to crystallise; it breaks when the pressure is never removed. The Goldilocks Zone is the best environment to place human performance, ensuring a challenging environment is present to be engaged in, but not too difficult to think clearly.

真正坚韧的体现，不是承受无限压力的能力，而是能够驾驭耶克斯-多德森曲线的智慧。若压力从未被解除，材料不会结晶，它只会断裂。人类表现的最佳环境是“金发姑娘区”：确保环境具有一定挑战性，让人能够投入其中，但又不会过于困难，以至于无法清晰思考。

navigate v 找到正确方法（对付困难或复杂的情况）

resilience n 适应力

material n 材料

crystallise v 结晶（crystal + -ise）

The Goldilocks Zone 金发姑娘区 或恰到好处的区域 / 最佳平衡区 在心理学和绩效领域，它指的是压力或挑战既不太高也不太低、刚好能激发最佳表现的状态。

Goldilocks Zone 源自英国作家罗伯特·骚塞（Robert Southey） 在1837年首次出版的经典童话《金发姑娘与三只熊》，故事中，金发姑娘面对三碗粥、三把椅子、三张床时，总会避开那个“太极端”的选项，而选择那个“刚刚好”的。

place v 安置

ensure v 确保

The process of growth is a sensitive one. In as much as comfort zones have to be abandoned to avoid stagnation (停滞), the belief that it is only through extreme hardship that diamonds are created is a simplistic assumption. A shift away from the cult (崇拜) of high-pressure environments and toward a philosophy of calibrated (标刻度的) challenge is necessary to truly promote growth. A person crushed by pressure is not a diamond; they are a casualty of a misunderstood law of nature.

成长的过程是微妙的。诚然，为避免停滞不前，必须要走出舒适区，但认为只有通过极端苦难才能铸造钻石，是一种过于简化的假设。要真正促进成长，必须从崇尚高压环境的文化，转向一种追求经过校准的挑战哲学。被压力压垮的人并不是钻石——他们只是一条被误解的自然法则的牺牲品。

simplistic adj 过分简化的（simple + -istic）

shift away 移开；迁移

练习

1. academy (n) －________ (adj 学业的；学术的)

2. necessary (adj) －________ (n 必要；需要)

3. motivate (v) －________ (n 动力)

4. survive (v) －________ (n 存活；幸存)

5. inspire (v) －________ (n 给人以灵感的人或物) －________ (adj 鼓舞人心的)

二、重点词块：根据所给汉语，完成下列句子。

1.Human beings ____________________ (不是由……组成) carbon.

2.The human psyche tends to ____________________ (陷入) apathy (懈怠) without some amount of pressure.

3.The inspirational idea that the harder, the better, fails to consider the mental burden (涉及) carrying out multifaceted (多方面的) tasks.

4.Too much hardship ____________(导致) some physiological and cognitive deficits (亏损).

5. In the face of severe stress, individuals find themselves reverting (恢复) to rigid, instead of attempting to ____________(想出 / 提出) creative resolutions.

点击下方空白区域查看答案

▼

一、

1. academic; 2. necessity; 3. motivation; 4. survival; 5. inspiration; inspirational

二、

1. are not composed of; 2. sink into; 3. involved in; 4. results in; 5. come up with

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