劈腿的科學：英語精讀講義

Cheating on your significant other is taboo in almost all cultures, 用詞

對另一半不忠在幾乎所有文化中都是禁忌，

yet somehow adds flavor to the plot of movies 慣用語

卻不知為何能讓電影情節更有看頭，

and inspiration for countless songs about heartbreak.

也為無數描寫心碎的歌曲帶來靈感。

But why do people cheat in the first place? 片語搭配

但人們究竟為什麼會出軌？

Is there a science behind it? 表達脈絡

這背後有科學根據嗎？

Only about 3% of mammals are monogamous,

只有大約3%的哺乳動物採單配偶制，

meaning they stay with one partner their whole life. 文法

也就是一生只和一個伴侶在一起。

And humans fall into this category. 片語搭配

而人類也屬於這一類。

From an evolutionary perspective, 表達脈絡

從演化的角度來看，

it creates an advantage where one partner can protect the younglings 文法

這樣做有一項優勢：一方可以保護幼獸，

while the other searches for food and provides resources.

另一方則去尋找食物、提供資源。

But somehow extrapair mating or cheating is a fairly common human behavior. 用詞

但不知為何，配偶之外的交配，也就是出軌，卻是人類相當常見的行為。

The gene coding for a dopamine receptor 用詞

負責編碼多巴胺受體的基因

plays a key role in cheating for men and women. 片語搭配

在男女的出軌行為中都扮演關鍵角色。

Sometimes called the happy hormone, 講解

多巴胺有時被稱為「快樂荷爾蒙」，

it's released after pleasurable activities like exercise, eating food, and orgasming.

在運動、進食和達到性高潮等愉悅活動後就會釋放。

And one study found that 表達脈絡

而一項研究發現，

50% of people who possess the long allele variant of this gene

帶有這個基因長型等位基因變異的人當中，有50%

had cheated on their partner

曾經背叛伴侶，

compared to only 22% of people who have the short allele. 文法

相較之下，帶有短型等位基因的人只有22%。

The long allele participants also had a tendency to be risk takers 片語搭配

帶有長型等位基因的受試者也比較傾向冒險，

and succumb to addictive behaviors such as alcoholism. 片語搭配

並容易陷入酗酒等成癮行為。

Perhaps the phrase once a cheater, always a cheater may have a basis in reality. 講解

或許「一次出軌，永遠出軌」這句話確實有現實根據。

Levels of the hormone vasopressin also play a role.

血管加壓素的濃度也會發揮作用。

Similar to oxytocin,

它與催產素相似，

which is sometimes called the cuddle hormone,

後者有時被稱為「擁抱荷爾蒙」，

vasopressin can affect trust, empathy, and social bonding.

血管加壓素會影響信任、同理心與社會連結。

In fact, injecting vasopressin directly into a polygamous montane vole's reward center

事實上，將血管加壓素直接注入採多配偶制的山地田鼠獎賞中樞，

increases the likelihood of it becoming monogamous. 片語搭配

會提高牠轉為單配偶制的可能性。

People with autism also have lower vasopressin levels,

自閉症者的血管加壓素濃度也較低，

affecting their ability to understand social cues.

這會影響他們理解社交線索的能力。

And in 2014, a study involving over 7,000 Finnish twins

2014年，一項涵蓋7000多名芬蘭雙胞胎的研究

found that cheating women had a variant

發現，曾出軌的女性帶有一種變異，

in the gene that codes for a vasopressin receptor,

這種變異位於負責編碼血管加壓素受體的基因中，

further suggesting that low levels of vasopressin have an influence on cheating. 表達脈絡

這進一步顯示，血管加壓素濃度偏低會影響出軌行為。

Money may also be a factor. 表達脈絡

金錢也可能是其中一項因素。

Males who earn significantly more than their female counterpart

收入遠高於女性伴侶的男性

are more likely to cheat.

更有可能出軌。

But they're also more likely to cheat on their wives

但他們也更容易背叛妻子——

if they're stay-at-home dads.

如果他們是全職爸爸的話。

Only when both partners have similar earning potential 文法

只有當雙方的賺錢能力相近時，

do the chances of either cheating decrease significantly.

任一方出軌的機率才會大幅下降。

Of course, many other life factors can lead to infidelity, 講解

當然，還有許多其他生活因素可能導致不忠，

from unresolved emotional issues, baggage from past relationships, 慣用語

例如尚未解決的情感問題、過往感情留下的包袱，

and excessive alcohol intoxication.

以及飲酒過量造成的嚴重酒醉。

Unfortunately, same-sex partnerships have not been studied enough to gain any clear insights, 文法

遺憾的是，針對同性伴侶關係的研究仍不夠多，無法得出明確結論，

highlighting how scientific research continues to exclude specific minority groups. 表達脈絡

這凸顯了科學研究仍持續將某些特定的少數族群排除在外。

Either way, cheating is clearly based in biology and genetics 表達脈絡

無論如何，出軌顯然與生物學和遺傳因素有關，

for some of us in spite of being a monogamous species. 文法

至少對我們當中的某些人是如此，儘管人類屬於單配偶物種。

Special thanks to Audible for supporting this episode

特別感謝Audible贊助本集節目，

and giving you a free audiobook at audible.com/asap.

並透過audible.com/asap送你一本免費有聲書。

This week we wanted to recommend the book SuperBetter,

本週我們想推薦《SuperBetter》這本書，

where author and game designer Jane McGonigal

作者兼遊戲設計師Jane McGonigal在書中

explains how to cultivate greater resiliency in everyday life by using mental strengths you apply to game playing.

說明如何運用玩遊戲時發揮的心理力量，在日常生活中培養更強的復原力。

You can get a free copy at audible.com/asap

你可以到audible.com/asap免費取得一本，

or any others of your choice from a massive selection.

也可以從龐大書庫中任選其他一本。

We love them as they're great when you're on the go. 慣用語

我們很喜歡有聲書，因為外出時聽非常方便。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

別忘了訂閱，收看每週更新的更多科學影片。