TEDxMileHigh
Sabine Doebel: How your brain's executive function works -- and how to improve it
萨宾 · 德贝尔: 你大脑的执行功能是如何运作的——以及如何提高这一能力
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你每天都要使用大脑的执行功能——它让你能够集中注意力、提前计划和抑制冲动。你能够提升这个能力，做得更好吗？认知学专家萨宾·德贝尔带着自己对于儿童成长的研究，探求影响执行功能的因素——以及你该如何运用这项功能来改变自己的坏习惯，达成你的目标。
Sabine Doebel - Cognitive scientist
Sabine Doebel studies the developing mind to understand how experience shapes our thinking and executive control skills. Full bio
Sabine Doebel studies the developing mind to understand how experience shapes our thinking and executive control skills. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
So I have a confession to make.
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我要向你们坦白。
我最近才学会开车。
00:15
I only recently learned how to drive.
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00:18
And it was really hard.
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这对我来说真的很难。
00:21
Now, this wasn't an older brain thing.
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这不仅跟大脑老龄化有关。
你们还记得刚学会开车时的样子吗？
00:24
Do you remember what it was like
when you first learned how to drive?
when you first learned how to drive?
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你的每一个决定都经过了深思熟虑。
00:27
When every decision you made
was so conscious and deliberate?
was so conscious and deliberate?
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00:31
I'd come home from my lessons
completely wiped out mentally.
completely wiped out mentally.
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当我下课回家时，
我的脑力完全耗尽。
我的脑力完全耗尽。
00:35
Now, as a cognitive scientist
I know that this is because I was using
I know that this is because I was using
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作为一名认知学家，我知道
导致这个现象的原因，
导致这个现象的原因，
00:38
a lot of something
called executive function.
called executive function.
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是我过度使用了执行功能。
00:43
Executive function is our amazing ability
to consciously control our thoughts,
to consciously control our thoughts,
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执行功能是我们身上一项迷人的能力，
它能帮助我们有意识地
它能帮助我们有意识地
控制思想、情感和动作，
00:48
emotions and actions
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来达成许多目的，
00:50
in order to achieve goals ...
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例如学会开车。
00:52
like learning how to drive.
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00:55
It's what we use when we need
to break away from habit,
to break away from habit,
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当我们需要改变习惯、
抑制冲动和提前计划时，
抑制冲动和提前计划时，
00:58
inhibit our impulses and plan ahead.
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它就会发挥作用。
01:01
But we can see it most clearly
when things go wrong.
when things go wrong.
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但只有在做错事的时候，
我们才会明确感觉到它。
我们才会明确感觉到它。
01:05
Like, have you ever accidentally
poured orange juice on your cereal?
poured orange juice on your cereal?
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例如，你是否曾经不小心
把橙汁倒入麦片中？
把橙汁倒入麦片中？
01:08
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
或者，当你在浏览脸书动态时，
01:10
Or, ever start scrolling on Facebook
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01:12
and suddenly realize
you've missed a meeting?
you've missed a meeting?
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突然想起来你错过了一个会议？
（笑声）
01:14
(Laughter)
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01:16
Or maybe this one's more familiar:
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可能下面这件事听起来更加耳熟：
你计划下班途中要去商店，
01:17
Ever plan to stop at the store
on the way home from work
on the way home from work
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但实际上你却一路开车回了家？
01:20
and then drive all the way home
instead on autopilot?
instead on autopilot?
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（笑声）
01:23
(Laughter)
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每个人都经历过这些事。
01:25
These things happen to everyone.
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我们通常称之为心不在焉，
01:28
And we usually call it absentmindedness,
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但事实上，
01:30
but what's really happening
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是我们的执行功能疏忽了。
01:31
is we're experiencing a lapse
in executive function.
in executive function.
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01:35
So we use executive function
every day in all aspects of our lives.
every day in all aspects of our lives.
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每天，执行功能在我们生活的
各个方面都发挥着功能。
各个方面都发挥着功能。
在过去的30年中，
01:40
And over the past 30 years,
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研究人员发现在从孩童阶段开始，
01:41
researchers have found
that it predicts all kinds of good things
that it predicts all kinds of good things
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01:45
in childhood and beyond,
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它就能够预估一切好的事情，
01:47
like social skills, academic achievement,
mental and physical health,
mental and physical health,
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例如社交技能、学术成就、
生理及精神健康、
生理及精神健康、
挣钱、攒钱，
01:52
making money, saving money
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甚至是遵纪守法。
01:54
and even staying out of jail.
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听起来很棒，不是吗？
01:56
Sounds great, doesn't it?
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显而易见，
01:58
So it's no surprise
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研究人员，譬如我，都想理解它，
01:59
that researchers like me
are so interested in understanding it
are so interested in understanding it
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想找到方法提升它的能力。
02:03
and figuring out ways to improve it.
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02:07
But lately, executive function has become
a huge self-improvement buzzword.
a huge self-improvement buzzword.
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但最近，执行功能已经
成为一个自我提升的热门词汇。
成为一个自我提升的热门词汇。
02:13
People think you can improve it
through brain-training iPhone apps
through brain-training iPhone apps
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人们认为可以通过
许多方法提高这个能力，
许多方法提高这个能力，
例如锻炼大脑的苹果应用
和电脑游戏，
和电脑游戏，
02:16
and computer games,
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或是特殊一点的方法，
例如国际象棋。
例如国际象棋。
02:17
or by practicing it in a specific way,
like playing chess.
like playing chess.
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02:22
And researchers are trying
to train it in the lab
to train it in the lab
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研究人员尝试在实验室中进行训练，
希望能够提升这个能力，
或者是其他与之相关的能力，
或者是其他与之相关的能力，
02:25
in the hopes of improving it
and other things related to it,
and other things related to it,
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例如智力。
02:28
like intelligence.
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02:31
Well, I'm here to tell you
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我现在告诉你们，
目前对于执行功能
这些猜想都是错误的。
这些猜想都是错误的。
02:32
that this way of thinking
about executive function is all wrong.
about executive function is all wrong.
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总的来说，大脑训练
无法提升执行功能，
无法提升执行功能，
02:36
Brain training won't improve
executive function in a broad sense
executive function in a broad sense
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因为大脑训练只能小幅度
让执行功能兴奋起来，
让执行功能兴奋起来，
02:40
because it involves
exercising it in a narrow way,
exercising it in a narrow way,
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脱离了它实际发挥作用的现实环境。
02:43
outside of the real-world contexts
in which we actually use it.
in which we actually use it.
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02:48
So you can master that executive
function app on your phone,
function app on your phone,
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所以即使在手机应用中通关了，
你还是会时不时把橙汁倒入麦片中。
02:51
but that's not going to help you stop
pouring OJ on your Cheeerios twice a week.
pouring OJ on your Cheeerios twice a week.
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（笑声）
02:55
(Laughter)
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如果你真的想提升你的执行能力，
02:56
If you really want to improve
your executive function
your executive function
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从现实生活层面上来说的提升，
02:59
in a way that matters for your life,
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你需要理解环境因素对它的影响。
03:01
you have to understand
how it's influenced by context.
how it's influenced by context.
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03:06
Let me show you what I mean.
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让我解释一下。
我们做过这样一个实验，
03:07
There's a great test
that we use in the lab
that we use in the lab
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来测量幼儿的执行功能，
03:10
to measure executive function
in young children
in young children
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叫作“维度变化的卡片分类”。
03:12
called the "dimensional change card sort."
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03:16
In this task, kids have to sort
cards in one way --
cards in one way --
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在这个任务中，幼儿们需要
通过某种标准给卡片分类，
通过某种标准给卡片分类，
例如形状——
03:19
like by shape --
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不断重复，直到他们养成一个习惯。
03:21
over and over until they build up a habit.
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然后他们被要求变更标准，
03:23
And then they're asked to switch
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以另一个标准分类，
03:26
and sort the same cards in another way,
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例如颜色。
03:28
like by color.
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03:31
Now, really young kids struggle with this.
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年龄太小的幼儿做这个任务有点困难。
3-4岁的幼儿通常会按照
旧的标准给卡片分类，
旧的标准给卡片分类，
03:34
Three- and four-year-olds will usually
keep sorting the cards in the old way
keep sorting the cards in the old way
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无论你提醒他们多少次新的标准。
03:37
no matter how many times you remind
them of what they should be doing.
them of what they should be doing.
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03:42
(Video) Woman: If it's blue, put it here.
If it's red, put it here.
If it's red, put it here.
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（视频）女性：如果是蓝色的，放在这里。
如果是红色的，放在那里。
如果是红色的，放在那里。
这是个蓝色的。
03:45
Here's a blue one.
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03:47
OK, so now we're going to play
a different game.
a different game.
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好的，现在我们要玩
另一个不同的游戏。
另一个不同的游戏。
我们不玩颜色游戏了。
03:49
We're not going to play
the color game anymore.
the color game anymore.
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我们现在要玩形状游戏，
03:51
Now we're going to play the shape game,
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在形状游戏中，
03:53
and in the shape game,
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星形放这里，
汽车形放这里，好吗？
汽车形放这里，好吗？
03:54
all the stars go here
and all the trucks go here, OK?
and all the trucks go here, OK?
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星形放这里，
汽车形放这里。
汽车形放这里。
03:58
Stars go here, trucks go here.
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星形的放在哪儿？
04:00
Where do the stars go?
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04:02
And where do the trucks go?
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那么汽车形的呢？
非常棒。
04:04
Excellent.
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记住，星形放这儿，
汽车形放这儿。
汽车形放这儿。
04:05
OK, stars go here, trucks go here.
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这是个汽车形的。
04:07
Here's a truck.
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04:10
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
星形放这里，
汽车形放这里。
汽车形放这里。
04:12
Stars go here, trucks go here.
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这是个星形的。
04:14
Here's a star.
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04:17
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
德贝尔：这非常引人注目，
04:19
SB: So it's really compelling,
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很明显她没能好好发挥
自己的执行功能。
自己的执行功能。
04:21
and it's really obvious when she fails
to use her executive function.
to use her executive function.
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但重点是：
04:25
But here's the thing:
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我们可以通过类似这样的任务
来训练她，
来训练她，
04:26
we could train her on this task
and others like it
and others like it
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最终她能够进步，
04:29
and eventually she'd improve,
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但是否这就意味着在实验室之外，
04:31
but does that mean
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04:33
that she would've improved
her executive function outside of the lab?
her executive function outside of the lab?
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她的执行功能也得到了提升呢？
并不是，因为在现实生活中，
她需要运用执行功能做的事情
她需要运用执行功能做的事情
04:36
No, because in the real world,
she'll need to use executive function
she'll need to use executive function
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04:39
to do a lot more than switching
between shape and color.
between shape and color.
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远比在形状和颜色之间转换更难。
她需要从加法变换到乘法，
04:43
She'll need to switch
from adding to multiplying
from adding to multiplying
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或是从玩乐变换到整理，
04:46
or from playing to tidying up
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又或是从只考虑自己的
情绪变成体贴朋友。
情绪变成体贴朋友。
04:48
or from thinking about her own feelings
to thinking about her friend.
to thinking about her friend.
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想要在现实生活中成功，取决于
04:52
And success in real-world situations
depends on things
depends on things
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你的动力大小，
以及你的同伴在做什么。
以及你的同伴在做什么。
04:55
like how motivated you are
and what your peers are doing.
and what your peers are doing.
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这还取决于特定情况下
04:59
And it also depends
on the strategies that you execute
on the strategies that you execute
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05:02
when you're using executive function
in a particular situation.
in a particular situation.
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使用执行功能时你采取的策略。
05:06
So what I'm saying is
that context really matters.
that context really matters.
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我的意思是环境因素真的很重要。
05:11
Now let me give you an example
from my research.
from my research.
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现在，让我给你们展示
一个我研究的例子。
一个我研究的例子。
最近我对一群儿童进行了
经典的棉花糖测试，
经典的棉花糖测试，
05:14
I recently brought in a bunch of kids
to do the classic marshmallow test,
to do the classic marshmallow test,
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05:18
which is a measure
of delay of gratification
of delay of gratification
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它被用于测量延迟满足，
而延迟满足也需要运用大量的执行功能。
05:20
that also likely requires
a lot of executive function.
a lot of executive function.
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05:24
So you may have heard about this test,
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你们也许听说过这项测试，
孩子们面临一项选择。
05:26
but basically, kids are given a choice.
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他们可以马上获得一个棉花糖，
05:28
They can have one marshmallow right away,
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或者如果他们能耐心
等我走到另一个房间，
等我走到另一个房间，
05:30
or if they can wait for me
to go to the other room
to go to the other room
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然后拿另一个棉花糖，
05:33
and get more marshmallows,
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他们就可以获得两个棉花糖。
05:34
they can have two instead.
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05:37
Now, most kids really want
that second marshmallow,
that second marshmallow,
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大多数孩子非常想要第二个棉花糖，
但重点是：他们的耐心能持续多久呢？
05:41
but the key question is:
How long can they wait?
How long can they wait?
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（笑声）
05:44
(Laughter)
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我增设了一个环节，
来研究环境因素的影响。
来研究环境因素的影响。
05:45
Now, I added a twist
to look at the effects of context.
to look at the effects of context.
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05:50
I told each kid that they were in a group,
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我告诉每个孩子，他们属于一个团队，
譬如绿队，
05:53
like the green group,
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我甚至还发给他们一件绿色的衬衫来穿。
05:55
and I even gave them
a green T-shirt to wear.
a green T-shirt to wear.
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然后我说：“你们这队
等到了第二个棉花糖，
等到了第二个棉花糖，
05:58
And I said, "Your group
waited for two marshmallows,
waited for two marshmallows,
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06:02
and this other group, the orange group,
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还有另一个队，黄队，
他们没能做到。”
06:05
did not."
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或者我会说相反的话：
06:06
Or I said the opposite:
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“你们这队没能等到第二个棉花糖，
06:07
"Your group didn't wait
for two marshmallows
for two marshmallows
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但其他队做到了。”
06:09
and this other group did."
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之后我离开，只留孩子们在房间里，
06:12
And then I left the kid alone in the room
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然后我会通过摄像头
观察他们能等多久。
观察他们能等多久。
06:14
and I watched on a webcam
to see how long they waited.
to see how long they waited.
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06:17
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
我的发现是，那些相信他们队
06:21
So what I found was that kids who believed
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能够等到两个棉花糖的人
06:25
that their group waited
for two marshmallows
for two marshmallows
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更倾向于耐心等待。
06:27
were themselves more likely to wait.
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06:32
So they were influenced by a peer group
that they'd never even met.
that they'd never even met.
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他们会被一群陌生人组成的团队影响。
（笑声）
06:36
(Laughter)
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很有趣，不是吗？
06:37
Pretty cool, isn't it?
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但有了这个结果，我依然不知道
06:39
Well, so with this result
I still didn't know
I still didn't know
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是从众心理还是别的更深层的
因素导致了这个结果。
因素导致了这个结果。
06:42
if they were just copying their group
or if it was something deeper than that.
or if it was something deeper than that.
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06:47
So I brought in some more kids,
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所以我召集了另一些儿童，
在棉花糖测试之后，我展示了
一些照片，上面有两个儿童，
一些照片，上面有两个儿童，
06:49
and after the marshmallow test,
I showed them pictures of pairs of kids,
I showed them pictures of pairs of kids,
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我告诉他们：“其中一个
喜欢马上获得东西，
喜欢马上获得东西，
06:54
and I told them, "One of these kids
likes to have things right away,
likes to have things right away,
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例如曲奇和贴纸。
06:57
like cookies and stickers.
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而另外一个喜欢等待，
06:59
And the other kid likes to wait
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这样他得到的就更多。”
07:01
so that they can have
more of these things."
more of these things."
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然后我问他们，
07:03
And then I asked them,
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“这两个人中你更喜欢谁？
07:05
"Which one of these two kids
do you like more
do you like more
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你想跟谁一起玩？”
07:07
and who would you want to play with?"
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07:09
And what I found was that kids
who believed that their group waited
who believed that their group waited
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我发现，那些相信他们
一队会等待的孩子
一队会等待的孩子
倾向于喜欢等待的儿童。
07:13
tended to prefer other kids
who liked to wait for things.
who liked to wait for things.
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07:17
So learning what their group did
made them value waiting more.
made them value waiting more.
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了解他们的团队会做什么
使他们更倾向于等待。
使他们更倾向于等待。
07:22
And not only that,
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不仅如此，
这些孩子可能会运用执行功能
07:24
these kids likely used executive function
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制定策略，让自己耐心等待，
07:27
to generate strategies
to help themselves wait,
to help themselves wait,
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例如坐在自己的手上，
或是扭头不去看棉花糖，
或是扭头不去看棉花糖，
07:30
like sitting on their hands
or turning away from the marshmallow
or turning away from the marshmallow
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又或是唱歌分散注意力。
07:33
or singing a song to distract themselves.
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（笑声）
07:36
(Laughter)
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07:39
So what this all shows
is just how much context matters.
is just how much context matters.
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这些都证明了环境因素的影响力。
这并不是说这些孩子的
执行功能好或者差，
执行功能好或者差，
07:44
It's not that these kids
had good executive function or bad,
had good executive function or bad,
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是环境因素帮助他们
更好地运用这个能力。
更好地运用这个能力。
07:47
it's that the context
helped them use it better.
helped them use it better.
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07:52
So what does this mean
for you and for your kids?
for you and for your kids?
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那么，这对你和你的孩子
有什么启示呢？
有什么启示呢？
07:56
Well, let's say that you want
to learn Spanish.
to learn Spanish.
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让我们假设你想学西班牙语。
你可以改变你所处的环境，
07:59
You could try changing your context
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让你身边充满也想学西语的人，
08:00
and surrounding yourself
with other people who also want to learn,
with other people who also want to learn,
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如果你喜欢这些人那就更好了。
08:04
and even better if these are people
that you really like.
that you really like.
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在这种情况下，你会更加
积极地运用执行能力。
积极地运用执行能力。
08:07
That way you'll be more motivated
to use executive function.
to use executive function.
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08:12
Or let's say that you want to help
your child do better on her math homework.
your child do better on her math homework.
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或者假设你想帮你的孩子
提高数学水平。
提高数学水平。
你可以教她在特定环境下
08:16
You could teach her strategies
to use executive function
to use executive function
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运用执行功能，
08:19
in that particular context,
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例如在学习之前不要玩手机，
08:21
like putting her phone away
before she starts studying
before she starts studying
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或是每学习一小时就奖励一下自己。
08:24
or planning to reward herself
after studying for an hour.
after studying for an hour.
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08:29
Now, I don't want to make it sound
like context is everything.
like context is everything.
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我并不是说环境因素能决定一切。
执行功能非常复杂，
由数不清的因素所组成。
由数不清的因素所组成。
08:32
Executive function is really complex,
and it's shaped by numerous factors.
and it's shaped by numerous factors.
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但我希望你们记住，
08:37
But what I want you to remember
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如果你想在生活的某些方面
08:38
is if you want to improve
your executive function
your executive function
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提升自己的执行能力，
08:41
in some aspect of your life,
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不要试图走捷径。
08:43
don't look for quick fixes.
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考虑环境因素
08:46
Think about the context
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以及如何加重目标在你心中的价值，
08:47
and how you can make
your goals matter more to you,
your goals matter more to you,
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还有你要如何运用策略
08:50
and how you can use strategies
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来在特定情况下帮助自己。
08:51
to help yourself
in that particular situation.
in that particular situation.
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08:55
I think the ancient Greeks said it best
when they said, "Know thyself."
when they said, "Know thyself."
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古希腊有句话说得好：“认清你自己。”
想认清自我，关键是认清
环境对你行为的影响，
环境对你行为的影响，
09:00
And a key part of this is knowing
how context shapes your behavior
how context shapes your behavior
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以及如何运用这点，
朝更好的方向发展。
朝更好的方向发展。
09:05
and how you can use that knowledge
to change for the better.
to change for the better.
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谢谢。
09:08
Thank you.
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（掌声）
09:10
(Applause)
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Translated by Buyun Ping
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Sabine Doebel - Cognitive scientistSabine Doebel studies the developing mind to understand how experience shapes our thinking and executive control skills.
Why you should listen
Sabine Doebel conducts research with children in an effort to understand the nature of the mind, with much of her work focusing on how children develop the cognitive abilities that serve us so well as adults, like controlling impulses, thinking ahead, and staying on task.
Doebel is an incoming assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where she will direct the brand new Developing Minds Lab. She earned her PhD from the Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota and subsequently was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in Psychological Science, Cognition, Developmental Psychology and Child Development. A full list of her publications can be found here.
Doebel is also a passionate advocate of open science and has received funding from the National Science Foundation to help developmental scientists adopt transparency-enhancing practices that will allow them to build more easily on each other's work.
Sabine Doebel | Speaker | TED.com