民主党 vs 共和党——谁的大脑更强？：英语精读讲义

The world feels pretty divided. 用詞

世界似乎分裂得相当严重。

Currently, 81% of both liberals and conservatives

目前，自由派和保守派中各有 81% 的人

have unfavorable views towards those on the other side. 短語搭配

对另一阵营的人持负面看法。

But is there actually a fundamental biological difference

但真的存在根本性的生物学差异，

between liberals and conservatives?

能把自由派和保守派区分开来吗？

On the surface, we can see some funny differences

表面上看，我们能发现一些有趣的差别，

like conservatives like meat and potatoes more

比如保守派更爱吃肉和土豆，

while liberals tend to like trying food from other cultures more. 語法

而自由派往往更愿意尝试其他文化的食物。

In general, conservatives prefer purebred dogs 用詞

一般来说，保守派更喜欢纯种狗，

while liberals prefer mixed breeds

而自由派更喜欢混种狗；

and liberals are okay with free verse poetry 用詞

自由派也能接受自由诗，

while conservatives prefer it to rhyme.

而保守派更喜欢押韵的诗。

But as we study more, 表達脈絡

但随着研究不断深入，

we realize that the differences are much deeper.

我们才意识到，这些差异其实存在于更深的层面。

When put through MRI brain scans,

接受 MRI 脑部扫描后，

it turns out that liberals are more likely to have a larger anterior cingulate cortex, 講解

结果显示，自由派更有可能拥有较大的前扣带皮层，

which is associated with understanding and monitoring conflict, 短語搭配

这个区域与理解和监测冲突有关；

while conservatives have a larger right amygdala,

而保守派的右侧杏仁核更大，

which helps process fear and anxiety.

这个区域有助于处理恐惧和焦虑。

And that makes sense given the years of research 短語搭配

结合多年来的研究，这个结果也合情合理，

that have shown people tend to become more conservative

因为这些研究表明，人们变得更加保守的倾向往往出现在

when they feel threatened or afraid.

他们感到受威胁或害怕的时候。

After 9/11, for example, 文化背景

例如，在“9·11”事件之后，

the US became politically more conservative

美国的政治氛围变得更加保守，

with studies showing increased support for issues

研究显示，人们对一些议题的支持度有所上升，

like national security and military spending.

比如国家安全和军费开支。

But studies have also found

但研究还发现，

that conservatives and liberals employ different cognitive styles. 用詞

保守派和自由派采用的认知方式也不同。

Conservatives excel when it comes to more structured 短語搭配

保守派更擅长处理结构化程度较高、

and organized problems or questions,

组织更有条理的问题；

whereas liberals tend to be more flexible and less likely to commit errors

而自由派往往更灵活，也更不容易出错，

with questions involving conflicting information 語法

尤其是在处理信息相互冲突、

and requiring fast reaction times.

又需要快速反应的问题时。

One study looking at dorm rooms even found that, on average, 短語搭配

一项观察宿舍房间的研究甚至发现，平均而言，

conservative students' rooms were less messy than liberals.

保守派学生的房间没有自由派学生的那么乱。

But they also experienced pain in different ways.

但他们感受疼痛的方式也不相同。

So much so that one study was able to predict who was liberal or conservative 表達脈絡

这种差异之大，甚至让一项研究能够判断一个人是自由派还是保守派，

just by viewing brain scans of them

依据仅仅是查看他们的脑部扫描图，

looking at graphic photos containing mutilations. 用詞

而扫描时，他们正在观看呈现肢体残缺的血腥照片。

In this instance, liberal brains were more active

在这种情况下，自由派的大脑活动更为活跃，

in the S2 or somatosensory 2 region,

尤其是在 S2，也就是第二躯体感觉区，

which is normally activated when you're in pain,

这个区域通常会在你感到疼痛时被激活，

but also when you see someone else suffering.

也会在你看到别人受苦时被激活。

It's essentially scientific evidence

这基本上可以算作科学证据，

for the bleeding heart liberal stereotype, 文化背景

支持了“自由派总是同情心泛滥”这一刻板印象。

which doesn't mean conservatives are uncaring, 表達脈絡

但这并不意味着保守派漠不关心，

but that their minds just respond

只说明他们的大脑在面对

to graphic images differently.

血腥图像时，反应方式有所不同。

In America, this can explain how Democrats and Republicans

在美国，这可以解释民主党人和共和党人为何

perceive the world in fundamentally different ways.

会以根本不同的方式看待世界。

It's difficult to grasp

我们很难理解

how someone on the other side of politics thinks 習語

政治立场相反的人是如何思考的，

because we tend to overestimate the extent 語法

因为我们往往会高估

to which our opinions, beliefs, and values are normal.

自己的观点、信念和价值观有多么“正常”。

Psychologists refer to this as false consensus bias. 講解

心理学家称之为“虚假共识偏差”。

For example, if you heard Yanni

例如，如果你听到的是 Yanni，

in the Yanni versus Laurel debate, 文化背景

在“Yanni 还是 Laurel”的争论中，

it may have felt that you were the normal one 語法

你可能会觉得自己才是正常的，

and it was insane that anyone could be hearing Laurel.

而有人竟然能听成 Laurel，简直太离谱了。

Apply this logic to politics 表達脈絡

把这套逻辑应用到政治上，

and you can see why people have such polarizing ideas

你就会明白，为什么人们的观点会如此两极分化，

on issues like immigration, abortion, gun rights, etc.

尤其是在移民、堕胎、持枪权等议题上。

But where do these differences come from? 表達脈絡

但这些差异究竟从何而来？

One study revealed that genetics can account 短語動詞

一项研究发现，遗传因素可以解释

for around 30 to 40%

大约 30% 到 40%

of a person's political leanings,

的个人政治倾向，

which may seem like a lot, 表達脈絡

这个比例听起来可能很高，

but there are still many other important factors

但仍有许多其他重要因素，

like your environment and personal experiences

比如你所处的环境和个人经历，

which play massive roles in your politics. 短語搭配

也会对你的政治立场产生巨大影响。

Political neuroscience is a relatively new field of study 用詞

政治神经科学是一个相对较新的研究领域，

with fascinating results.

其研究结果十分引人入胜。

And in a world that's being increasingly characterized by its divisions, 短語搭配

在这个分裂日益加剧的世界里，

perhaps an important aspect of unity involves using neuroscience

也许，促进团结的一个重要途径，就是运用神经科学

to better understand each other's differences.

来更好地理解彼此的差异。

On a lighter note, space is a place where liberals and conservatives 表達脈絡

换个轻松的话题，太空是一个能让自由派、保守派

and nations all over the world come together. 短語動詞

以及世界各国齐聚一堂的地方。

And we actually just made a video

而且，我们最近刚做了一期视频，

where we tried out the latest space food

在里面试吃了最新的太空食品，

that astronauts are eating right now.

也就是宇航员目前正在吃的食物。

Click here or the description

点击这里，或点击简介中的链接，

to check it out.

就能去看看这期视频。

Also, if you want even more science,

另外，如果你还想了解更多科学内容，

we have a weekly science podcast.

我们还有一档每周更新的科学播客。

So, subscribe to it.

所以，记得订阅。

The link is like down there, I think,

链接大概就在下面吧，

and it's called side note.

播客名叫 side note。