如何改變別人的想法？：英語精讀講義

Do you ever get into an argument where you know you're right and yet even with your eloquent explanations and all of the facts on your side, 講解

你是否也曾和人爭論，明明知道自己是對的，而且你的解釋條理清晰，所有事實也都站在你這邊，

you just can't get through? 片語動詞

卻怎麼也說不通對方？

Is there a strategic way to successfully convince somebody

有沒有什麼策略，能成功說服一個人

and change their opinion?

並改變對方的看法？

The first and most disappointing thing that you have to come to terms with is this. 慣用語

你首先必須接受、也最令人失望的一件事，就是：

Facts don't convince people,

事實並不能說服人，

especially if they already have an opinion.

尤其是當他們已經有了自己的看法時。

We all like to think that information or indisputable studies would convince us in an argument, 片語搭配

我們都願意相信，在爭論中，資訊或無可辯駁的研究結果能夠說服自己，

but study after study shows that when certain facts don't conform to our beliefs, 講解

但一項又一項研究顯示，當某些事實不符合我們的信念時，

our brains are happy to disregard or simply rationalize them away. 片語動詞

我們的大腦會欣然忽視它們，或乾脆找理由把它們搪塞過去。

In one study, scientists asked people if they believed in man-made climate change

在一項研究中，科學家詢問人們是否相信氣候變遷是人為造成的，

and then categorized them as either believers or deniers.

接著將他們分為相信者與否認者兩類。

They then told some that scientists had reevaluated the data and concluded that predictions for the future were much worse than before,

接著，他們告訴其中一些人，科學家重新評估資料後得出結論：對未來的預測比先前糟糕許多；

while some others were told the situation wasn't nearly as bad as once thought. 文法

而另一些人則被告知，情況遠沒有過去認為的那麼嚴重。

But these facts had an interesting result on their beliefs.

不過，這些事實對他們的信念產生了有趣的影響。

People who didn't believe in climate change and were told that things were going to be much worse,

那些不相信氣候變遷，又被告知情況會嚴重許多的人，

completely ignored this fact and their opinions were unchanged.

完全忽視了這項事實，觀點絲毫未變。

But if they were told that things weren't nearly as bad,

但如果他們被告知情況遠沒有那麼嚴重，

their beliefs moved much farther in that direction.

他們的信念就會大幅往這個方向偏移。

And the same thing happened to those who believed strongly in climate change.

而堅信氣候變遷的人，也出現了相同的情況。

When told that things are now predicted to be worse,

當他們被告知，目前的預測顯示情況會變得更嚴重時，

they shifted their opinions more strongly in that direction,

他們的看法會更強烈地往這個方向偏移；

whereas those told it wouldn't be so bad didn't change their opinions at all. 表達脈絡

反之，被告知情況不會那麼嚴重的人，觀點則完全沒有改變。

The facts only caused people to polarize. 文法

事實只讓人們的立場變得更加兩極化。

It turns out that Once formed, people's impressions and opinions are extremely perseverant. 講解

原來，人的印象與看法一旦形成，就會非常持久，極難改變。

And cognitive scientists say much of this is actually linked to our ability as humans to cooperate,

認知科學家表示，這在很大程度上其實與人類的合作能力有關，

a skill that no other animal has to the degree that humans do. 文法

其他任何動物在這項能力上，都達不到人類的程度。

From hunting and gathering to agriculture and modern computers, 表達脈絡

從狩獵採集、農業一路到現代電腦，

our cooperation allows us to rely on one another's expertise instead of knowing everything. 文法

合作讓我們能仰賴彼此的專業知識，不必什麼都懂。

As a result, 表達脈絡

因此，

we can hardly tell where our own understanding ends and another begins. 表達脈絡

我們幾乎分不清自己的理解在哪裡結束、別人的理解又從哪裡開始。

Ultimately, strong beliefs don't actually come from deep understanding.

歸根究柢，堅定的信念其實並不是來自深刻的理解。

This is known as the illusion of explanatory depth. 文化背景

這稱為「解釋深度錯覺」。

If I asked you to rate your understanding of something like a toilet, zippers, or computers,

如果我請你評估自己對馬桶、拉鍊或電腦這類事物的了解程度，

chances are you believe you know way more than you actually do. 講解

你很可能會覺得，自己懂得比實際情況多得多。

Go on and try to explain step-by-step how a toilet or a zipper functions in detail. 語氣意圖

不妨試試，逐步詳細解釋馬桶或拉鍊究竟如何運作。

Sometimes this simple act can expose how baseless ours or another's opinion is. 文法

有時候，光是這麼做，就能揭露我們自己或他人的看法有多麼缺乏根據。

In one study, when participants were asked to rate their opinions of public policies like healthcare

在一項研究中，參與者先要評估自己對醫療照護等公共政策的看法，

and then later asked to explain in as much detail as possible the impact of implementing those policies, 文法

之後再被要求盡可能詳細說明，實施這些政策會造成哪些影響，

they would quickly turn down the intensity of their beliefs, 片語動詞

他們很快就不會再那麼堅持自己的看法，

having been exposed to their own ignorance. 文法

因為他們看清了自己的無知。

How else can we overcome these tendencies and convince people in an argument? 表達脈絡

那麼，我們還能怎麼克服這些傾向，在爭論中說服別人呢？

It turns out that we need to focus on the common motive, 片語搭配

原來，我們必須把重點放在共同的動機上，

as put by Tali Sharot, a cognitive neuroscientist.

正如認知神經科學家 Tali Sharot 所說。

That is, focus on the motives and things you can agree on. 表達脈絡

也就是說，要關注彼此的動機，以及雙方能達成共識的事。

One study looking at parents afraid to vaccinate their children because of the fear of autism,

有項研究探討那些因擔心自閉症而不敢讓孩子接種疫苗的父母，

found that if they simply told them the facts that the science shows there's no link between the two, 片語搭配

研究發現，如果只告訴他們科學事實——疫苗與自閉症之間沒有關聯，

they wouldn't listen. 語氣意圖

他們根本聽不進去。

But when they focused on the common goal of protecting their children and explained what vaccines are meant to prevent, 文法

但如果把焦點放在保護孩子這個共同目標上，並解釋疫苗是為了預防哪些疾病，

things like measles, mumps, polio, tetanus,

例如麻疹、腮腺炎、小兒麻痺症和破傷風，

and how those diseases impact children who get them,

以及孩子一旦罹患這些疾病會受到什麼影響，

without even mentioning autism, 文法

全程甚至完全不提自閉症，

they were more likely to have their kids vaccinated after. 文法

這些父母之後就更可能讓孩子接種疫苗。

Finally, humans are known to have something called an in-group and out-group bias. 文化背景

最後，眾所周知，人類有所謂的「內團體與外團體偏誤」。

We tend to be skeptical of outsiders or people who we see as different from us. 片語搭配

我們往往會懷疑外來者，或那些被我們視為與自己不同的人。

This can come in the form of race, religion, physical traits, gender, 片語搭配

這種差異可能來自種族、宗教、身體特徵和性別，

but also in the form of ideas.

也可能來自觀念。

So, people who don't share your ideas are part of your out-group.

所以，與你觀念不同的人就屬於你的外團體。

Studies have been done to show that if you can find a way to relate to people and have them see you in a different light, 講解

研究顯示，如果你能找到與他人建立連結的方法，讓他們換個角度看你，

to see you as part of their in-group,

把你視為自己團體的一分子，

they're much more likely to listen to you than if they think you are nothing like them. 文法

那麼，他們願意聽你說的可能性，就會遠高於他們覺得你與自己毫無相似之處時。

Find a group that you're both part of and use that as a point of personal connection. 片語搭配

找出一個你們都屬於的團體，並以此作為建立個人連結的切入點。

Now, if you've ever wanted to challenge your own opinions or become more aware of those opinions contrary to your own, 用詞

如果你一直想挑戰自己的觀點，或更了解那些與自己相反的看法，

then you should definitely check out Vubble, a really awesome new company that I love,

那你一定要看看 Vubble——一家很棒、我非常喜歡的新公司。

which uses machine learning to send you stuff you'll like,

它利用機器學習推送你會喜歡的內容，

but with a twist of also sending stuff that will nudge you outside of your filter bubble. 講解

但特別的是，它也會推送一些內容，輕輕帶你走出自己的資訊同溫層。

It's a cool tool that first analyzes you and your interests through questions, pictures, and videos,

這是一個很酷的工具，會先透過問題、圖片和影片來分析你和你的興趣，

and then helps you flex your mental muscles with some stuff that wouldn't normally be in your feed. 慣用語

再用一些平常不會出現在你動態消息中的內容，幫你鍛鍊思考能力。

It's a really nice way to expose yourself to a broader view of the world online, 片語搭配

這是在網路上拓展世界視野的一種很棒的方式，

and it's completely free.

而且完全免費。

You can check out the chatbot on Facebook by clicking the link below and then clicking the Get Started button to launch the chatbot.

點選下方連結，再按下「Get Started」按鈕啟動聊天機器人，就能在 Facebook 上體驗。

Help mind your feed and feed your mind. 表達脈絡

用心打理你的動態，也讓它滋養你的心智。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos every Thursday.

別忘了訂閱，每週四收看更多科學影片。