The psychology of morality

　　道德心理學

　　Time to be honest

　　時間讓人誠實

　　A simple experiment suggests a way toencourage truthfulness

　　由簡單實驗總結出讓人誠實的方法

　　IS SIN original?

　　難道人性本惡?

　　That is the question addressed by Shaul Shalvi, a psychologist at the University ofAmsterdam, in a paper just published in Psychological Science.

　　阿姆斯特丹大學心理學家Shaul Shalvi在《心理科學》期刊上剛發表的一篇論文談到了這個問題。

　　Dr Shalvi and his colleagues, Ori Eldar and Yoella Bereby-Meyer of Ben-Gurion University inIsrael, wanted to know if the impulse to cheat is something that grows or diminishes whenthe potential cheater has time for reflection on his actions.

　　Shalvi博士和他的來自以色列Ben-Gurion大學的同事們 Ori Eldar 和 Yoella Bereby-Meye希望知道當一個想要撒謊的人如果有時間對他的行為思考時，他們說謊的動機是增加還是降低。

　　Is cheating, in other words, instinctive or calculating?

　　換句話說，撒謊，是一種應激本能還是經過慢慢算計的?

　　Appropriately, the researchers apparatus for their experiment was that icon of sinfulactivity, the gambling die.

　　研究人員為他們的實驗提供了一個很合適的實驗工具，賭博用的骰子本身就象征著罪惡的活動。

　　They wanted to find out whether people were more likely to lie about the result of a die rollwhen asked that result immediately, or when given time to think.

　　他們想看看人們到底是在什么情況下更容易撒謊，是在需要立即報告骰子點數的情況下還是有足夠的時間的情況下。

　　To carry out their experiment, Dr Shalvi, Dr Eldar and Dr Bereby-Meyer gave each of 76volunteers a six-sided die and a cup.

　　為了進行實驗，Ben-Gurion、 Ori Eldar 和 Yoella Bereby-Meye博士為76個志愿參與實驗的人每人一個六面的骰子和一個杯子。

　　Participants were told that a number of them, chosen at random, would earn ten shekels foreach pip of the numeral they rolled on the die.

　　他們告訴參與實驗的人，他們隨意搖出的骰子的點數，每一點可獲得10謝克爾。

　　They were then instructed to shake their cups, check the outcome of the rolled die andremember this roll.

　　然后參與實驗的人按照規定搖骰子，檢查這一輪他們搖出的點數并且記住它。

　　Next, they were asked to roll the die two more times, to satisfy themselves that it was notloaded, and, that done, to enter the result of the first roll on a computer terminal.

　　他們按照要求再擲兩次色子，好讓他們自己相信沒人對這色子動過手腳，這樣檢查完沒問題之后，他們就把第一次擲出的數字輸入到電腦終端中去。

　　Half of the participants were told to complete this procedure within 20 seconds while theothers were given no time limit.

　　他要求一半的參與者在20s之內完成，而另一半則沒有時間限制。

　　The researchers had no way of knowing what numbers participants actually rolled, of course.

　　當然研究人員無從知曉參與者搖出的真實數字。

　　But they knew, statistically, that the average roll, if people reported honestly, should havebeen 3.5.

　　但是從統計學理論上來講，如果人們誠實的話，那么搖出的點數的平均數字應該是3.5，

　　This gave them a baseline from which to calculate participants honesty.

　　這個原理為他們提供了判斷參與實驗的人是否誠實的基線。

　　Those forced to enter their results within 20 seconds, the researchers found, reported a meanroll of 4.6.

　　那些被要求20秒內輸入他們結果的人所報告的結果的平均數是4.6，

　　Those who were not under any time pressure reported a mean roll of 3.9.

　　而沒有時間限制的人所報告的平均點數是3.9。所以，

　　Both groups lied, then. But those who had had more time for reflection lied less.

　　兩個組的人都撒謊了，但有時間考慮的那一半人撒謊的少一些。

　　A second experiment confirmed this result.

　　第二個實驗也證實了這個結果。

　　A different bunch of volunteers were asked to roll the die just once.

　　另一群志愿者只允許搖一次篩子，與

　　Again, half were put under time pressure and, since there were no additional rolls tomake, the restriction was changed from 20 seconds to eight.

　　上次相同的是一半人必須在8秒內輸入結果，而另一半則沒有做時間限制，

　　The others were allowed to consider the matter for as long as they wished.

　　他們想思考多長時間都行。

　　In this case the first half reported an average roll of 4.4.

　　在這次試驗中，前一半人輸入的平均數字是4.4。

　　Those given no time limit reported an average of 3.4.

　　有充足時間思考的另一半人輸入結果的平均數字是3.4.換句話說，

　　The second lot, in other words, actually told the truth.

　　這一半的人大部分都說了實話。

　　The conclusion, therefore, at least in the matter of cheating at dice, is that sin is indeedoriginal.

　　因此，至少在骰子點數這個問題上，實驗的結論是人生來的確是罪惡的。

　　Without time for reflection, people will default to the mode labelled cheat.

　　如果沒有思考時間，人們會被預設為貼有欺騙標簽的模式。

　　Given such time, however, they will often do the right thing.

　　然而如果給予充足的時間思考，他們通常會選擇做正確的事情。

　　If you want someone to be honest, then, do not press him too hard for an immediatedecision.

　　所以，如果你希望一個誠實，千萬別為了一個立即的決定而給他太大壓力。

　　詞語解釋

　　1.morality n.道德;道德準則

　　The decline in traditional morality.

　　傳統道德觀念的衰退。

　　2.experiment n.實驗，試驗;嘗試

　　What does tuberculin experiment positive show?

　　結核菌素試驗陽性說明什么?

　　3.impulse n.憑沖動行事;突如其來的念頭

　　The impulse ring is a composite, magnetized ring.

　　脈沖環是一個合成磁化圈。

　　4.random a.任意的;隨機的;胡亂的

　　Because what do we know about random distribution?

　　因為我們對隨機洗牌清楚?

　　5.terminal n.終端;終點站;航空站

　　Remove lead for the negative terminal.

　　拆下負極端子的導線。

　　The psychology of morality

　　道德心理學

　　Time to be honest

　　時間讓人誠實

　　A simple experiment suggests a way toencourage truthfulness

　　由簡單實驗總結出讓人誠實的方法

　　IS SIN original?

　　難道人性本惡?

　　That is the question addressed by Shaul Shalvi, a psychologist at the University ofAmsterdam, in a paper just published in Psychological Science.

　　阿姆斯特丹大學心理學家Shaul Shalvi在《心理科學》期刊上剛發表的一篇論文談到了這個問題。

　　Dr Shalvi and his colleagues, Ori Eldar and Yoella Bereby-Meyer of Ben-Gurion University inIsrael, wanted to know if the impulse to cheat is something that grows or diminishes whenthe potential cheater has time for reflection on his actions.

　　Shalvi博士和他的來自以色列Ben-Gurion大學的同事們 Ori Eldar 和 Yoella Bereby-Meye希望知道當一個想要撒謊的人如果有時間對他的行為思考時，他們說謊的動機是增加還是降低。

　　Is cheating, in other words, instinctive or calculating?

　　換句話說，撒謊，是一種應激本能還是經過慢慢算計的?

　　Appropriately, the researchers apparatus for their experiment was that icon of sinfulactivity, the gambling die.

　　研究人員為他們的實驗提供了一個很合適的實驗工具，賭博用的骰子本身就象征著罪惡的活動。

　　They wanted to find out whether people were more likely to lie about the result of a die rollwhen asked that result immediately, or when given time to think.

　　他們想看看人們到底是在什么情況下更容易撒謊，是在需要立即報告骰子點數的情況下還是有足夠的時間的情況下。

　　To carry out their experiment, Dr Shalvi, Dr Eldar and Dr Bereby-Meyer gave each of 76volunteers a six-sided die and a cup.

　　為了進行實驗，Ben-Gurion、 Ori Eldar 和 Yoella Bereby-Meye博士為76個志愿參與實驗的人每人一個六面的骰子和一個杯子。

　　Participants were told that a number of them, chosen at random, would earn ten shekels foreach pip of the numeral they rolled on the die.

　　他們告訴參與實驗的人，他們隨意搖出的骰子的點數，每一點可獲得10謝克爾。

　　They were then instructed to shake their cups, check the outcome of the rolled die andremember this roll.

　　然后參與實驗的人按照規定搖骰子，檢查這一輪他們搖出的點數并且記住它。

　　Next, they were asked to roll the die two more times, to satisfy themselves that it was notloaded, and, that done, to enter the result of the first roll on a computer terminal.

　　他們按照要求再擲兩次色子，好讓他們自己相信沒人對這色子動過手腳，這樣檢查完沒問題之后，他們就把第一次擲出的數字輸入到電腦終端中去。

　　Half of the participants were told to complete this procedure within 20 seconds while theothers were given no time limit.

　　他要求一半的參與者在20s之內完成，而另一半則沒有時間限制。

　　The researchers had no way of knowing what numbers participants actually rolled, of course.

　　當然研究人員無從知曉參與者搖出的真實數字。

　　But they knew, statistically, that the average roll, if people reported honestly, should havebeen 3.5.

　　但是從統計學理論上來講，如果人們誠實的話，那么搖出的點數的平均數字應該是3.5，

　　This gave them a baseline from which to calculate participants honesty.

　　這個原理為他們提供了判斷參與實驗的人是否誠實的基線。

　　Those forced to enter their results within 20 seconds, the researchers found, reported a meanroll of 4.6.

　　那些被要求20秒內輸入他們結果的人所報告的結果的平均數是4.6，

　　Those who were not under any time pressure reported a mean roll of 3.9.

　　而沒有時間限制的人所報告的平均點數是3.9。所以，

　　Both groups lied, then. But those who had had more time for reflection lied less.

　　兩個組的人都撒謊了，但有時間考慮的那一半人撒謊的少一些。

　　A second experiment confirmed this result.

　　第二個實驗也證實了這個結果。

　　A different bunch of volunteers were asked to roll the die just once.

　　另一群志愿者只允許搖一次篩子，與

　　Again, half were put under time pressure and, since there were no additional rolls tomake, the restriction was changed from 20 seconds to eight.

　　上次相同的是一半人必須在8秒內輸入結果，而另一半則沒有做時間限制，

　　The others were allowed to consider the matter for as long as they wished.

　　他們想思考多長時間都行。

　　In this case the first half reported an average roll of 4.4.

　　在這次試驗中，前一半人輸入的平均數字是4.4。

　　Those given no time limit reported an average of 3.4.

　　有充足時間思考的另一半人輸入結果的平均數字是3.4.換句話說，

　　The second lot, in other words, actually told the truth.

　　這一半的人大部分都說了實話。

　　The conclusion, therefore, at least in the matter of cheating at dice, is that sin is indeedoriginal.

　　因此，至少在骰子點數這個問題上，實驗的結論是人生來的確是罪惡的。

　　Without time for reflection, people will default to the mode labelled cheat.

　　如果沒有思考時間，人們會被預設為貼有欺騙標簽的模式。

　　Given such time, however, they will often do the right thing.

　　然而如果給予充足的時間思考，他們通常會選擇做正確的事情。

　　If you want someone to be honest, then, do not press him too hard for an immediatedecision.

　　所以，如果你希望一個誠實，千萬別為了一個立即的決定而給他太大壓力。

　　詞語解釋

　　1.morality n.道德;道德準則

　　The decline in traditional morality.

　　傳統道德觀念的衰退。

　　2.experiment n.實驗，試驗;嘗試

　　What does tuberculin experiment positive show?

　　結核菌素試驗陽性說明什么?

　　3.impulse n.憑沖動行事;突如其來的念頭

　　The impulse ring is a composite, magnetized ring.

　　脈沖環是一個合成磁化圈。

　　4.random a.任意的;隨機的;胡亂的

　　Because what do we know about random distribution?

　　因為我們對隨機洗牌清楚?

　　5.terminal n.終端;終點站;航空站

　　Remove lead for the negative terminal.

　　拆下負極端子的導線。