TEDGlobal 2013
Peter Doolittle: How your "working memory" makes sense of the world
彼得·杜利特爾: 你的“工作記憶”如何理解世界
Filmed:
Readability: 3.4
2,344,275 views
“人生飛快地迎面而來，我們必須在飄忽而過的萬象經驗中提煉出意義來。” 在這個趣味橫生，啟發深省的演講裡，教育心理學家彼得 · 杜利特爾詳細介紹了大腦"短期記憶"的重要性和局限性，使我們對“當下”更加心領神會。
Peter Doolittle - Educational psychology professor
Peter Doolittle is striving to understand the processes of human learning. Full bio
Peter Doolittle is striving to understand the processes of human learning. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
So yesterday, I was out in the street
0
231
2380
昨天呢，我出去走在
00:14
in front of this building,
1
2611
2676
這幢樓前的大街上。
00:17
and I was walking down the sidewalk,
2
5287
3036
我在人行道上
00:20
and I had company, several of us,
3
8323
1860
和幾個朋友同行。
00:22
and we were all abiding by the rules
4
10183
1498
我們都很守規矩地
00:23
of walking down sidewalks.
5
11681
2387
走在行人專用道上。
00:26
We're not talking each other. We're facing forward.
6
14068
2442
我們什麼也不說，就是向前走。
00:28
We're moving.
7
16510
1423
就這樣往前走。
00:29
When the person in front of me slows down.
8
17933
3263
走在我前面的人突然減慢了速度。
00:33
And so I'm watching him, and he slows down,
9
21196
1990
我看見他放慢了速度，
00:35
and finally he stops.
10
23186
1597
然後停下了。
00:36
Well, that wasn't fast enough for me,
11
24783
2085
然後我很快就趕上他了。
00:38
so I put on my turn signal, and I walked around him,
12
26868
3679
正好我要在街角轉彎，我就繞過他走。
00:42
and as I walked, I looked to see what he was doing,
13
30547
2733
我一邊走，一邊看他在做什麼。
00:45
and he was doing this.
14
33280
2563
他就是這樣。
00:47
He was texting,
15
35848
1944
他在發簡訊，
00:49
and he couldn't text and walk at the same time.
16
37792
2022
因為他不可能一邊走路一邊打字。
00:51
Now we could approach this
17
39814
1809
現在我們可以
00:53
from a working memory perspective
18
41623
1892
從工作記憶的角度
00:55
or from a multitasking perspective.
19
43515
1985
或從多工處理的角度來看這件事。
00:57
We're going to do working memory today.
20
45500
2529
我們今天要講的就是工作記憶的問題。
01:00
Now, working memory
21
48029
2140
現在，工作記憶是
01:02
is that part of our consciousness that we are
22
50169
3148
每天任何一個有意識的片斷裡
01:05
aware of at any given time of day.
23
53317
2454
我們自我認知的一部分。
01:07
You're going it right now.
24
55771
1642
你現在就有工作記憶。
01:09
It's not something we can turn off.
25
57413
1654
我們不可能隨時關閉它。
01:11
If you turn it off, that's called a coma, okay?
26
59067
3451
你要是把它關閉了，那就叫昏迷，對不對?
01:14
So right now, you're doing just fine.
27
62518
3103
所以，你們現在都做得挺好。
01:17
Now working memory has four basic components.
28
65621
2356
工作記憶有四個基本元素。
01:19
It allows us to store some immediate experiences
29
67977
2597
它使我們能夠存儲一些很直接的體驗
01:22
and a little bit of knowledge.
30
70574
1616
和很少的一部分知識。
01:24
It allows us to reach back
into our long-term memory
into our long-term memory
31
72190
3369
它允許我們去追溯我們的長期記憶
01:27
and pull some of that in as we need it,
32
75559
1850
找到我們需要的，
01:29
mixes it, processes it
33
77409
2200
進行組合和處理，
01:31
in light of whatever our current goal is.
34
79609
2294
這主要取決於我們的當前動機是什麼。
01:33
Now the current goal isn't something like,
35
81903
1514
那麼當前動機不是像
01:35
I want to be president or the best surfer in the world.
36
83417
2282
我想要當總統
或是做世界最佳衝浪手這樣的動機。
或是做世界最佳衝浪手這樣的動機。
01:37
It's more mundane. I'd like that cookie,
37
85699
2803
它更世俗化，比如我要吃那塊餅乾，
01:40
or I need to figure out how to get into my hotel room.
38
88502
2602
或者我要找到今晚住宿的酒店。
01:43
Now working memory capacity
39
91104
2180
工作記憶的能力
01:45
is our ability to leverage that,
40
93284
2606
是我們能夠利用記憶的能力，
01:47
our ability to take what we know
41
95890
2795
是我們利用知識的能力。
01:50
and what we can hang onto
42
98685
1276
我們可以依賴，
01:51
and leverage it in ways that allow us to satisfy
43
99961
3599
可以利用工作記憶能力來滿足
01:55
our current goal.
44
103560
1750
我們的當前目標。
01:57
Now working memory capacity
45
105310
1784
工作記憶能力
01:59
has a fairly long history,
46
107094
2053
有相當長的歷史
02:01
and it's associated with a lot of positive effects.
47
109147
2199
它能帶來很多積極效應。
02:03
People with high working memory capacity
48
111346
2388
工作記憶能力強的人
02:05
tend to be good storytellers.
49
113734
2244
一般會很擅長講故事。
02:07
They tend to solve and do well
on standardized tests,
on standardized tests,
50
115978
3977
他們一般很善於應付標準化測試，
02:11
however important that is.
51
119955
2345
不管是多麼重要的考試。
02:14
They're able to have high levels of writing ability.
52
122300
3783
他們很善於寫作。
02:18
They're also able to reason at high levels.
53
126083
2874
他們善於提出深層次的問題。
02:20
So what we're going to do here
is play a little bit with some of that.
is play a little bit with some of that.
54
128957
2918
那麼這裡呢，我們來做個工作記憶能力的小遊戲。
02:23
So I'm going to ask you to perform a couple tasks,
55
131875
2550
我會讓你們完成兩個任務，
02:26
and we're going to take your
working memory out for a ride.
working memory out for a ride.
56
134425
3079
帶你們的工作記憶出來兜兜風。
02:29
You up for that? Okay.
57
137504
2597
你們想玩兒吧？好！
02:32
I'm going to give you five words,
58
140101
2198
我會給你們五個詞，
02:34
and I just want you to hang on to them.
59
142299
1793
我要你們記住這些詞，
02:36
Don't write them down. Just hang on to them.
60
144092
1868
不是把它們寫下來，而是用腦子記住它們。
02:37
Five words.
61
145960
1412
五個詞。
02:39
While you're hanging on to them,
I'm going to ask you to answer three questions.
I'm going to ask you to answer three questions.
62
147372
3203
你記著它們的同時，還要回答我三個問題。
02:42
I want to see what happens with those words.
63
150575
1905
我想看看你們記這五個詞記得怎麼樣
02:44
So here's the words:
64
152480
1847
好吧，這五個詞是：
02:46
tree,
65
154327
3288
樹，
02:49
highway,
66
157615
2935
公路，
02:52
mirror,
67
160550
2378
鏡子，
02:54
Saturn
68
162928
2132
土星
02:57
and electrode.
69
165060
2419
和電極。
02:59
So far so good?
70
167479
1584
沒問題吧？
03:01
Okay. What I want you to do
71
169063
1854
好！現在我要你們
03:02
is I want you to tell me what the answer is
72
170917
3347
回答我的問題，
03:06
to 23 times eight.
73
174264
2322
23乘以8是多少。
03:08
Just shout it out.
74
176586
2714
喊出來就行。
03:12
(Mumbling) (Laughter)
75
180766
3702
(喃喃自語)（笑聲）
03:16
In fact it's -- (Mumbling) -- exactly. (Laughter)
76
184468
2421
事實上它等於 — — (喃喃自語) — — 完全正確。（笑聲）
03:18
All right. I want you to take out your left hand
77
186889
3227
好吧。那現在我要你們伸出你的左手，
03:22
and I want you to go, "One, two, three, four, five,
78
190116
2680
你們要數：「一、二、三、四、五、
03:24
six, seven, eight, nine, 10."
79
192796
2203
六、 七、 八、 九，十"。
03:26
It's a neurological test,
just in case you were wondering.
just in case you were wondering.
80
194999
2696
它是一個神經功能測試，如果你想知道。
03:29
All right, now what I want you to do
81
197695
1865
好吧，我現在要你們
03:31
is to recite the last five letters
82
199560
2225
倒著讀出來
03:33
of the English alphabet backwards.
83
201785
2869
英語字母表中的最後五個字母。
03:38
You should have started with Z.
84
206637
1902
要從 Z 開始讀。
03:40
(Laughter)
85
208539
3291
（笑聲）
03:43
All right. How many people here are still pretty sure
86
211830
2087
好吧。這裡有多少人
03:45
you've got all five words?
87
213917
2451
還記得我剛才給出的那五個單詞？
03:48
Okay. Typically we end up with about less than half,
88
216368
3181
好吧。通常會有不到一半的人還記得。
03:51
right, which is normal. There will be a range.
89
219549
2075
沒錯，這是很正常的。就是這麼個範圍。
03:53
Some people can hang on to five.
90
221624
1556
有些人可以記住五個。
03:55
Some people can hang on to 10.
91
223180
1284
有些人可以記住十個。
03:56
Some will be down to two or three.
92
224464
2305
有的人只能記住兩三個。
03:58
What we know is this is really important
to the way we function, right?
to the way we function, right?
93
226769
3404
我們知道，這個對大腦功能確實很有用，對吧？
04:02
And it's going to be really important here at TED
94
230173
1948
這個在 TED 尤其重要，
04:04
because you're going to be exposed
to so many different ideas.
to so many different ideas.
95
232121
3036
因為你會接觸到很多不同的想法。
04:07
Now the problem that we have
96
235157
2207
現在我們的問題是
04:09
is that life comes at us,
97
237364
1712
我們迎面而來的生活，
04:11
and it comes at us very quickly,
98
239076
2117
它來得非常快。
04:13
and what we need to do is to take that amorphous
99
241193
3913
我們需要做的是收集那些模糊的
04:17
flow of experience and somehow
100
245106
1778
體驗，然後
04:18
extract meaning from it
101
246884
1507
用工作記憶來提煉
04:20
with a working memory
102
248391
1299
它的意義所在。
04:21
that's about the size of a pea.
103
249690
2269
差不多一個豌豆大小。
04:23
Now don't get me wrong,
working memory is awesome.
working memory is awesome.
104
251959
2547
別搞錯，工作記憶是很不簡單的。
04:26
Working memory allows us
105
254506
2115
它允許我們
04:28
to investigate our current experience
106
256621
2372
在繼續前行時
04:30
as we move forward.
107
258993
1495
檢視我們當前的體驗。
04:32
It allows us to make sense of the world around us.
108
260488
3168
它讓我們理解我們周圍的世界。
04:35
But it does have certain limits.
109
263656
1919
但它確實是有極限的。
04:37
Now working memory is great
for allowing us to communicate.
for allowing us to communicate.
110
265575
3843
工作記憶讓我們能夠和人交流。
04:41
We can have a conversation,
111
269418
1472
我們可以談話，
04:42
and I can build a narrative around that
112
270890
2687
我可以通過敘述來說明
04:45
so I know where we've been and where we're going
113
273577
1730
我們講到甚麼地方了，要說什麼
04:47
and how to contribute to this conversation.
114
275307
2088
以及怎麼說。
04:49
It allows us to problem-solve, critical think.
115
277395
2237
它讓我們解決問題，慎重思考。
04:51
We can be in the middle of a meeting,
116
279632
1804
我們可能在一個會議期間，
04:53
listen to somebody's presentation, evaluate it,
117
281436
2503
聽別人的發言，評價它，
04:55
decide whether or not we like it,
118
283939
1642
決定我們是否喜歡它，
04:57
ask follow-up questions.
119
285581
1258
然後提出問題。
04:58
All of that occurs within working memory.
120
286839
3370
所有這一切都是在工作記憶的範疇裡。
05:02
It also allows us to go to the store
121
290209
1847
它讓我們去商店
05:04
and allows us to get milk and eggs and cheese
122
292056
3654
買牛奶、雞蛋和乳酪，
05:07
when what we're really looking for
123
295710
1771
當我們真正想買的
05:09
is Red Bull and bacon. (Laughter)
124
297481
2837
是紅牛飲料和培根時。（笑聲）
05:12
Gotta make sure we're getting what we're looking for.
125
300318
2722
要確保我們知道我們要找的是什麼。
05:15
Now, a central issue with working memory
126
303040
3337
現在，短期記憶的一個主要問題是
05:18
is that it's limited.
127
306377
1397
它的局限性。
05:19
It's limited in capacity, limited in duration,
128
307774
2196
它的能力和時長都是有局限的。
05:21
limited in focus.
129
309970
1610
它的聚焦點也有局限。
05:23
We tend to remember about four things.
130
311580
2735
我們一般可以記住四件事情。
05:26
Okay? It used to be seven,
131
314315
1897
對吧？以前說是七件，
05:28
but with functional MRIs, apparently it's four,
132
316212
2024
但用功能性核磁共振成像檢測，其實是四件
05:30
and we were overachieving.
133
318236
2543
我們以前是逞強了。
05:32
Now we can remember those four things
134
320779
1973
現在我們在大約10到20秒時間內
05:34
for about 10 to 20 seconds
135
322752
1863
可以記住四件事，
05:36
unless we do something with it,
136
324615
1727
除非我們利用它，
05:38
unless we process it,
unless we apply it to something,
unless we apply it to something,
137
326342
2513
處理它，應用它，
05:40
unless we talk to somebody about it.
138
328855
3645
討論它。
05:44
When we think about working memory,
139
332500
3242
我們談到工作記憶的時候
05:47
we have to realize that this limited capacity
140
335742
3304
我們需要意識到它的局限性
05:51
has lots of different impacts on us.
141
339046
2495
對我們的影響。
05:53
Have you ever walked from one room to another
142
341541
3025
你以前有沒有從一個房間走到另個房間
05:56
and then forgotten why you're there?
143
344566
3011
突然忘了你要幹什麼？
05:59
You do know the solution to that, right?
144
347577
2169
你知道怎麼解決這樣的事，對吧？
06:01
You go back to that original room. (Laughter)
145
349746
2346
你就回到原來的那個房間去想想。（笑聲）
06:04
Have you ever forgotten your keys?
146
352092
3937
你曾經忘記過你的鑰匙吧？
06:08
You ever forgotten your car?
147
356029
2529
你曾經忘記過你的車嗎?
06:10
You ever forgotten your kids?
148
358558
2971
你曾經忘記過你的孩子吧？
06:13
Have you ever been involved in a conversation,
149
361529
2189
你有沒有在聊天時，
06:15
and you realize that the conversation to your left
150
363718
1944
意識到你左邊那人的談話
06:17
is actually more interesting? (Laughter)
151
365662
2834
其實更有趣？（笑聲）
06:20
So you're nodding and you're smiling,
152
368496
1624
嗯，你在點頭，你在笑，
06:22
but you're really paying attention
to this one over here,
to this one over here,
153
370120
2388
你一直很專心地聽我講
06:24
until you hear that last word go up,
154
372508
2300
直到你聽到我說的最後一個字音調升高，
06:26
and you realize,
155
374808
1660
你才意識到，
06:28
you've been asked a question. (Laughter)
156
376468
2954
我是在問你一個問題。（笑聲）
06:31
And you're really hoping the answer is no,
157
379422
1947
然後你們希望答案是否定的。
06:33
because that's what you're about to say.
158
381369
3219
因為那是你要說的。
06:36
All of that talks about working memory,
159
384588
2476
我們講的就是這些工作記憶，
06:39
what we can do and what we can't do.
160
387064
2258
我們能做什麼，不能做什麼。
06:41
We need to realize that working memory
161
389322
1537
我們必須認識到工作記憶
06:42
has a limited capacity,
162
390859
1399
的能力是有限的。
06:44
and that working memory capacity itself
is how we negotiate that.
is how we negotiate that.
163
392258
3519
工作記憶的能力在於我們怎麼平衡它。
06:47
We negotiate that through strategies.
164
395777
2171
我們通過一些策略來平衡。
06:49
So what I want to do is talk a little bit
about a couple of strategies here,
about a couple of strategies here,
165
397948
2321
我現在想講的就是兩個策略。
06:52
and these will be really important
166
400269
1275
這兩個確實很重要。
06:53
because you are now in an
information target-rich environment
information target-rich environment
167
401544
3755
因為接下來的幾天
06:57
for the next several days.
168
405299
2120
你將處在一個資訊爆炸的環境裡。
06:59
Now the first part of this that we need to think about
169
407419
2904
首先我們需要思考
07:02
and we need to process our existence, our life,
170
410323
2767
我們需要整理我們的體驗，
07:05
immediately and repeatedly.
171
413090
1715
迅速地和反復地。
07:06
We need to process what's going on
172
414805
2441
我們需要處理正在發生的事情
07:09
the moment it happens, not 10 minutes later,
173
417246
2914
就在當下，而不是十分鐘後，
07:12
not a week later, at the moment.
174
420160
2269
更不是一週後，就在當下。
07:14
So we need to think about, well,
do I agree with him?
do I agree with him?
175
422429
3733
我們需要考慮，嗯，我同意他嗎？
07:18
What's missing? What would I like to know?
176
426162
2780
不足的地方有那些？我想知道有哪些？
07:20
Do I agree with the assumptions?
177
428942
2222
我同意這個假設嗎？
07:23
How can I apply this in my life?
178
431164
1810
我怎麼把它用到我這兒？
07:24
It's a way of processing what's going on
179
432974
1980
我們就這麼處理正在發生的事情
07:26
so that we can use it later.
180
434954
1767
然後就可以利用它。
07:28
Now we also need to repeat it. We need to practice.
181
436721
2960
那麼，我們還需要重複它，需要實踐。
07:31
So we need to think about it here.
182
439681
2412
所以需要不斷琢磨它。
07:34
In between, we want to talk to people about it.
183
442093
2795
同時需要和別人談論它。
07:36
We're going to write it down,
and when you get home,
and when you get home,
184
444888
2223
回家後還要寫下它。
07:39
pull out those notes and think about them
185
447111
1960
然後拿出那些記錄，再考慮考慮它。
07:41
and end up practicing over time.
186
449071
2389
就這樣結束記憶的訓練。
07:43
Practice for some reason
became a very negative thing.
became a very negative thing.
187
451460
2551
為某些原因而重複記憶
是一件非常被動的事。
是一件非常被動的事。
07:46
It's very positive.
188
454011
1452
但它其實有非常積極的意義。
07:47
The next thing is, we need to think elaboratively
189
455463
3050
下一件事就是，我們需要考慮如何精煉
07:50
and we need to think illustratively.
190
458513
2340
和如何闡述我們的記憶
07:52
Oftentimes, we think that we have to relate
new knowledge to prior knowledge.
new knowledge to prior knowledge.
191
460853
3454
很多時候，我們將新知識和舊知識聯繫起來。
07:56
What we want to do is spin that around.
192
464307
1930
把它們融會貫通。
07:58
We want to take all of our existence
193
466237
1757
我們想要把所有我們舊的體驗
07:59
and wrap it around that new knowledge
194
467994
1753
都圍繞著新的知識展開，
08:01
and make all of these connections
and it becomes more meaningful.
and it becomes more meaningful.
195
469747
3448
讓新舊知識融合在一起使它變得更有意義。
08:05
We also want to use imagery.
We are built for images.
We are built for images.
196
473195
3794
我們還需要運用圖像。人類對圖像天生敏感。
08:08
We need to take advantage of that.
197
476989
1858
我們需要利用這一點。
08:10
Think about things in images,
198
478847
1510
思考圖像裡面的事實，
08:12
write things down that way.
199
480357
2349
把它記下來。
08:14
If you read a book, pull things up.
200
482706
1562
如果你在讀一本書，從裡面提煉出想要的東西
08:16
I just got through reading "The Great Gatsby,"
201
484268
2053
我以前通讀過《偉大的蓋茨比》，
08:18
and I have a perfect idea of what he looks like
202
486321
3099
我很清楚地知道他是怎樣的人。
08:21
in my head, so my own version.
203
489420
2998
在我的腦海裡，我有我自己的看法。
08:24
The last one is organization and support.
204
492418
2003
最後一個就是組織和支援。
08:26
We are meaning-making machines. It's what we do.
205
494421
2569
人天生喜歡追尋意義。我們做的也就是這個。
08:28
We try to make meaning out of
everything that happens to us.
everything that happens to us.
206
496990
3141
我們努力從任何事情中尋求意義所在。
08:32
Organization helps, so we need to structure
207
500131
2290
大腦的組織整理功能説明我們，所以我們要
08:34
what we're doing in ways that make sense.
208
502421
1579
讓做的事情更加合情合理。
08:36
If we are providing knowledge and experience,
209
504000
2586
如果我們提供知識和經驗，
08:38
we need to structure that.
210
506586
1485
就需要去構建它。
08:40
And the last one is support.
211
508071
2499
最後一個是支援。
08:42
We all started as novices.
212
510570
1722
我們都是從初學者起步的。
08:44
Everything we do is an
approximation of sophistication.
approximation of sophistication.
213
512292
3041
我們做的一切都是一點點趨向成熟。
08:47
We should expect it to change over time.
We have to support that.
We have to support that.
214
515333
2937
這就需要時間使我們成熟起來。我們需要支援體系。
08:50
The support may come in asking people questions,
215
518270
2656
這個支援體系通過問人們問題，
08:52
giving them a sheet of paper that has
an organizational chart on it
an organizational chart on it
216
520926
3498
給他們有表格的紙張，
08:56
or has some guiding images,
217
524429
2548
或一些提示性圖片，
08:58
but we need to support it.
218
526977
1900
我們需要這樣的支援體系。
09:00
Now, the final piece of this, the take-home message
219
528877
5291
現在，最後我要說的就是
09:06
from a working memory capacity standpoint is this:
220
534168
2926
從工作記憶能力的角度來看是這樣的：
09:09
what we process, we learn.
221
537094
2931
我們整理思考什麼資訊，就學習什麼。
09:12
If we're not processing life, we're not living it.
222
540025
4801
我們不整理思考人生，我們就是行屍走肉。
09:16
Live life. Thank you.
223
544826
1892
過好你的人生。謝謝。
09:18
(Applause)
224
546718
4185
（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Peter Doolittle - Educational psychology professorPeter Doolittle is striving to understand the processes of human learning.
Why you should listen
Peter Doolittle is a professor of educational psychology in the School of Education at Virginia Tech, where he is also the executive director of the Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research. He teaches classes such as Cognition and Instruction, Constructivism and Education, Multimedia Cognition and College Teaching, but his research mainly focuses on learning in multimedia environments and the role of "working memory."
Doolittle has taught educational psychology around the world. He is the executive editor of the International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and the co-executive editor of the International Journal of ePortfolio.
Peter Doolittle | Speaker | TED.com