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PeterDoolittle_2013G-_你的”短期记忆“如何理解世界_
So yesterday, I was out in the street in front of this building, and I was walking down the sidewalk, and I had company, several of us, and we were all abiding by the rules of walking down sidewalks . 昨天呢,我出门走在 这幢楼前的大街上。 我在人行道上 和几个朋友同行。 我们都很守规矩地 走在人行道上。
abiding:adj.持久的,永久的;不变的;v.遵守;容忍;继续存在(abide的现在分词); sidewalks:n.人行道;
We're not talking each other. We're facing forward. 我们什么也不说,就是向前走。
We're moving. 就这样往前走。
When the person in front of me slows down. 就这样往前走。
And so I'm watching him, and he slows down, and finally he stops. 我看见他放慢了速度, 然后停下了。
finally:adv.终于;最终;(用于列举)最后;彻底地;
Well, that wasn't fast enough for me, so I put on my turn signal , and I walked around him, and as I walked, I looked to see what he was doing, and he was doing this. 然后我很快就赶上他了。 正好我要在街角转弯,我就绕过他走。 我一边走,一边看他在做什么。 他就是这样。
turn signal:n.转向灯;方向灯;
He was texting, and he couldn't text and walk at the same time . 他在发短信。 因为他不可能一边走路一边打字。
at the same time:同时;另一方面;与此同时;
Now we could approach this from a working memory perspective or from a multitasking perspective. 现在我们可以 从短期记忆的角度 或从多任务处理的角度来看这件事。
approach:n.方法;路径;v.接近;建议;着手处理; perspective:n.观点;远景;透视图;adj.透视的; multitasking:n.多重任务处理;多重任务执行;
We're going to do working memory today. 我们今天要讲的就是短期记忆的问题。
Now, working memory is that part of our consciousness that we are aware of at any given time of day. 短期记忆是 每天任何一个有意识的片断里 我们自我意识的一部分。
consciousness:n.意识;知觉;觉悟;感觉;
You're going it right now. 你现在就有短期记忆。
It's not something we can turn off. 我们不可能随时关闭它。
If you turn it off, that's called a coma , okay? 你要是把它关闭了,那就叫昏迷,对不对?
coma:n.[医]昏迷;[天]彗形像差;
So right now, you're doing just fine. 所以,你们现在都做得挺好。
Now working memory has four basic components . 短期记忆有四个基本元素。
components:n.部件;组件;成份(component复数);
It allows us to store some immediate experiences and a little bit of knowledge. 它使我们能够存储一些很直接的体验 和很少的一部分知识。
It allows us to reach back into our long-term memory and pull some of that in as we need it, mixes it, processes it in light of whatever our current goal is. 它允许我们去追溯我们的长期记忆 找到我们需要的, 进行组合和处理, 这主要取决于我们的当前动机是什么。
long-term:adj.长期的;从长远来看; mixes:n.混淆;调拌料(mix的复数);v.混合(mix的第三人称单数); processes:n.过程; v.处理(process的第三人称单数形式); in light of:根据;鉴于;从…观点;
Now the current goal isn't something like, 那么当前动机不是象
I want to be president or the best surfer in the world. 我想要总统或是做世界最佳冲浪手这样的动机。
It's more mundane . I'd like that cookie, or I need to figure out how to get into my hotel room. 它更世俗化,比如我要吃那块饼干, 或者我要找到今晚住宿的酒店。
mundane:adj.世俗的,平凡的;世界的,宇宙的;
Now working memory capacity is our ability to leverage that, our ability to take what we know and what we can hang onto and leverage it in ways that allow us to satisfy our current goal. 短期记忆的能力 是我们能够利用记忆的能力, 是我们利用知识的能力。 我们可以依赖, 我们可以依赖, 我们眼前的目标。
capacity:n.能力;容量;资格,地位;生产力; leverage:n.影响力;杠杆作用;杠杆效力;v.举债经营;借贷收购; satisfy:vt.满足(要求,需要等):使满意:使确信:
Now working memory capacity has a fairly long history, and it's associated with a lot of positive effects. 短期记忆能力 有相当长的历史, 它能带来很多积极效应。
fairly:adv.相当地;公平地;简直; associated:adj.有关联的; v.联想; (associate的过去分词和过去式) positive:adj.积极的;[数]正的,[医][化学]阳性的;确定的;n.正数;[摄]正片;
People with high working memory capacity tend to be good storytellers . 短期记忆能力强的人 一般会很擅长讲故事。
storytellers:n.说故事的人(storyteller的复数);
They tend to solve and do well on standardized tests, however important that is. 他们一般很善于应付标准化测试, 不管是多么重要的考试。
standardized:adj.标准的; v.使合乎标准;
They're able to have high levels of writing ability. 他们很善于写作。
They're also able to reason at high levels. 他们善于提出深层次的问题。
So what we're going to do here is play a little bit with some of that. 那么这里呢,我们来做个短期记忆能力的小游戏。
So I'm going to ask you to perform a couple tasks, and we're going to take your working memory out for a ride. 我会让你们完成两个任务, 带你们的短期记忆出来兜兜风。
perform:v.表演;执行;履行;演出;工作,运转(好/不好);
You up for that? Okay. 你们想玩儿吧？好！
I'm going to give you five words, and I just want you to hang on to them. 我会给你们五个词, 我要你们记住这些词,
hang on to:紧紧抓住;紧握;
Don't write them down. Just hang on to them. 不是把它们写下来,而是用脑子记住它们。
Five words. 五个词。
While you're hanging on to them, I'm going to ask you to answer three questions. 你记着它们的同时,还要回答我三个问题。
I want to see what happens with those words. 我想看看你们记这五个词儿记得怎么样
So here's the words: tree, highway, mirror, 好吧,这五个词儿是: 树, 公路, 镜子,
Saturn and electrode . 土星 和电极。
Saturn:n.[天]土星;农业之神(罗马神话中的一个形象); electrode:n.[电]电极;电焊条;
So far so good? 没问题吧？
Okay. What I want you to do is I want you to tell me what the answer is to 23 times eight. 好！现在我要你们 回答我的问题, 23乘以8是多少。
Just shout it out. 喊出来就行。
(Mumbling) (Laughter) (喃喃自语)（笑声）
In fact it's -- (Mumbling) -- exactly. (Laughter) 事实上它等于 — — (喃喃自语) — — 完全正确。（笑声）
All right. I want you to take out your left hand and I want you to go, "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10." 好吧。那现在我要你们伸出你的左手, 你们要数:“一、二、三、四、五、 六、 七、 八、 九,十 。
It's a neurological test, just in case you were wondering. 它是一个神经功能测试,如果你想知道。
neurological:adj.神经病学的,神经学上的; just in case:以防万一;作为准备;
All right, now what I want you to do is to recite the last five letters of the English alphabet backwards. 好吧,我现在要你们 倒着读出来 英语字母表中的最后五个字母。
recite:v.朗诵;(口头)列举;逐一讲述;
You should have started with Z. 要从 Z 开始读。
(Laughter) （笑声）
All right. How many people here are still pretty sure you've got all five words? 好吧。这里有多少人 还记得我刚才给出的那五个单词？
Okay. Typically we end up with about less than half, right, which is normal. There will be a range. 好吧。通常会有不到一半的人还记得。 没错,这是很正常的。就是这么个范围。
Typically:adv.代表性地;作为特色地;
Some people can hang on to five. 有些人可以记住五个。
Some people can hang on to 10. 有些人可以记住十个。
Some will be down to two or three. 有的人只能记住两三个。
What we know is this is really important to the way we function, right? 我们知道,这个对大脑功能确实很有用,对吧？
And it's going to be really important here at TED because you're going to be exposed to so many different ideas. 在TED尤其重要, 因为你会接触到很多不同的想法。
exposed:adj.无遮蔽的; v.暴露; (expose的过去分词和过去式)
Now the problem that we have is that life comes at us, and it comes at us very quickly, and what we need to do is to take that amorphous flow of experience and somehow extract meaning from it with a working memory that's about the size of a pea. 现在我们的问题是 我们迎面而来的生活, 它来得非常快。 我们需要做的是收集那些模糊的 体验,然后 用短期记忆来提炼 它的意义所在。 差不多一个豌豆大小。
amorphous:adj.无定形的;无组织的;[物]非晶形的; somehow:adv.以某种方法;莫名其妙地; extract:v.提取;取出;摘录;榨取;n.汁;摘录;榨出物;选粹;
Now don't get me wrong, working memory is awesome . 别搞错,短期记忆是很不简单的。
awesome:adj.令人敬畏的;使人畏惧的;可怕的;极好的;
Working memory allows us to investigate our current experience as we move forward. 它允许我们 在继续前行时 检视我们当前的体验。
investigate:v.调查;研究;审查;
It allows us to make sense of the world around us. 它让我们理解我们周围的世界。
make sense of:搞清…的意思;
But it does have certain limits. 但它确实是有极限的。
Now working memory is great for allowing us to communicate. 短期记忆让我们能够和人交流。
We can have a conversation, and I can build a narrative around that so I know where we've been and where we're going and how to contribute to this conversation. 我们可以谈话, 我可以通过叙述来说明 我们讲到哪儿了,要说什么 以及怎么说。
narrative:n.叙述;故事;讲述;adj.叙事的,叙述的;叙事体的; contribute to:有助于;捐献;
It allows us to problem-solve, critical think. 它让我们解决问题,慎重思考。
critical:adj.鉴定的;[核]临界的;批评的,爱挑剔的;危险的;决定性的;评论的;
We can be in the middle of a meeting, listen to somebody's presentation , evaluate it, decide whether or not we like it, ask follow-up questions. 我们可能在一个会议期间, 听别人的发言,评价它, 决定我们是否喜欢它, 然后提出问题。
presentation:n.展示;描述,陈述;介绍;赠送; evaluate:v.评价;评估;估计; whether or not:是否…; follow-up:adj.后续的;增补的;n.随访;跟进;后续行动;
All of that occurs within working memory. 然后提出问题。
occurs:v.重现(occur的第三人称单数);
It also allows us to go to the store and allows us to get milk and eggs and cheese when what we're really looking for is Red Bull and bacon . (Laughter) 它让我们去商店 买牛奶、鸡蛋和奶酪, 当我们真正想买的 是红牛饮料和培根时。（笑声）
Bull:n.废话;公牛;彪形大汉;v.大量买进以期抬高价格;吓唬; bacon:n.咸肉;腌肉;熏猪肉;
Gotta make sure we're getting what we're looking for. 要确保我们知道我们要找的是什么。
Now, a central issue with working memory is that it's limited . 现在,短期记忆的一个主要问题是 它的局限性。
issue:n.重要议题;争论的问题;v.宣布;公布;发出;发行; limited:adj.有限的; n.高级快车; v.限制; (limit的过去分词和过去式)
It's limited in capacity, limited in duration , limited in focus. 它的能力和时长都是有局限的。 它的聚焦点也有局限。
duration:n.持续时间;期间;
We tend to remember about four things. 我们一般可以记住四件事情。
Okay? It used to be seven, but with functional MRIs, apparently it's four, and we were overachieving . 对吧？以前说是七件, 但用功能性核磁共振成像检测,其实是四件 我们以前是逞强了。
functional:adj.功能的; apparently:adv.显然地;似乎,表面上; overachieving:vi.完成得比预期要好;vt.做得比预期的更好;
Now we can remember those four things for about 10 to 20 seconds unless we do something with it, unless we process it, unless we apply it to something, unless we talk to somebody about it. 现在我们在大约10到20秒时间内 可以记住四件事, 如果我们利用它, 处理它,应用它, 讨论它。
apply:v.申请;涂,敷;应用;适用;请求;
When we think about working memory, we have to realize that this limited capacity has lots of different impacts on us. 我们谈到短期记忆的时候 我们需要意识到它的局限性 对我们的影响。
impacts:n.影响; v.有影响,有作用;
Have you ever walked from one room to another and then forgotten why you're there? 你以前有没有从一个房间走到另个房间 突然忘了你要干什么？
You do know the solution to that, right? 你知道怎么解决这样的事,对吧？
solution:n.解决方案;溶液;溶解;解答;
You go back to that original room. (Laughter) 你就回到原来的那个房间去想想。（笑声）
original:n.原件;原作;原物;原型;adj.原始的;最初的;独创的;新颖的;
Have you ever forgotten your keys? 你曾经忘记过你的钥匙吧？
You ever forgotten your car? 你曾经忘记过你的车吧?
You ever forgotten your kids? 你曾经忘记过你的孩子吧？
Have you ever been involved in a conversation, and you realize that the conversation to your left is actually more interesting? (Laughter) 你有没有在聊天时, 意识到你左边那人的谈话 其实更有趣？（笑声）
involved:adj.有关的; v.涉及; (involve的过去式和过去分词)
So you're nodding and you're smiling, but you're really paying attention to this one over here, until you hear that last word go up, and you realize, you've been asked a question. (Laughter) 嗯,你在点头,你在笑, 你一直很专心地听我讲 直到你听到我说的最后一个字音调升高, 你才意识到, 我是在问你一个问题。（笑声）
And you're really hoping the answer is no, because that's what you're about to say. 然后你们希望答案是否定的。 因为那是你要说的。
All of that talks about working memory, what we can do and what we can't do. 我们讲的就是这些短期记忆, 我们能做什么,不能做什么。
We need to realize that working memory has a limited capacity, and that working memory capacity itself is how we negotiate that. 我们必须认识到短期记忆 的能力是有限的。 短期记忆的能力在于我们怎么平衡它。
negotiate:v.谈判,商议;转让;越过;
We negotiate that through strategies . 我们通过一些策略来平衡。
strategies:n.策略;行动计划;部署;战略;(strategy的复数)
So what I want to do is talk a little bit about a couple of strategies here, and these will be really important because you are now in an information target-rich environment for the next several days. 我现在想讲的就是两个策略。 这两个确实很重要。 因为接下来的几天 你将处在一个信息爆炸的环境里。
Now the first part of this that we need to think about and we need to process our existence, our life, immediately and repeatedly . 首先我们需要思考 我们需要整理我们的体验, 迅速地和反复地。
repeatedly:adv.反复地;再三地;屡次地;
We need to process what's going on the moment it happens, not 10 minutes later, not a week later, at the moment. 我们需要处理正在发生的事情 就在当下,而不是十分钟后, 更不是一周后,就在当下。
So we need to think about, well, do I agree with him? 我们需要考虑,嗯,我同意他吗？
What's missing? What would I like to know? 不足的地方有那些？我想知道有哪些？
Do I agree with the assumptions ? 我同意这个假设吗？
assumptions:n.假定;假设;承担;获得;(assumption的复数)
How can I apply this in my life? 我怎么把它用到我这儿？
It's a way of processing what's going on so that we can use it later. 我们就这么处理正在发生的事情 然后就可以利用它。
processing:v.加工;处理;审核;数据处理;v.列队行进;缓缓前进;(process的现在分词)
Now we also need to repeat it. We need to practice. 那么,我们还需要重复它,需要实践。
So we need to think about it here. 所以需要不断琢磨它。
In between, we want to talk to people about it. 同时需要和别人谈论它。
We're going to write it down, and when you get home, pull out those notes and think about them and end up practicing over time. 回家后还要写下它。 然后拿出那些记录,再考虑考虑它。 就这样结束记忆的训练。
Practice for some reason became a very negative thing. 为某些原因而重复记忆是一件非常消极的事。
negative:adj.[数]负的;消极的;否定的;阴性的;n.否定;负数;[摄]底片;v.否定;拒绝;
It's very positive. 但它其实有非常积极的意义。
The next thing is, we need to think elaboratively and we need to think illustratively. 下一件事就是,我们需要考虑如何精练 和如何阐述我们的记忆。
Oftentimes , we think that we have to relate new knowledge to prior knowledge. 很多时候,我们将新知识和旧知识联系起来。
Oftentimes:adv.时常地; prior:adj.先前的; n.(小隐修院)院长; v.居先;
What we want to do is spin that around. 把它们融会贯通。
spin:v.旋转;纺纱;吐丝;纺线;n.头晕;(快速)旋转;常用于英式英语;晕头转向;
We want to take all of our existence and wrap it around that new knowledge and make all of these connections and it becomes more meaningful . 我们想要把所有我们旧的体验 都围绕着新的知识展开, 让新旧知识融合在一起使它变得更有意义。
wrap:v.缠绕;隐藏;掩护;包起来;缠绕;穿外衣;n.外套;围巾; meaningful:adj.严肃的;重要的;重大的;意味深长的;
We also want to use imagery . We are built for images . 我们还需要运用图像。人类对图像天生敏感。
imagery:n.像;意象;比喻;形象化; images:n.印象;声誉;形象;画像;雕像;(image的第三人称单数和复数)
We need to take advantage of that. 我们需要利用这一点。
take advantage of:利用;
Think about things in images, write things down that way. 思考图像里面的事实, 把它记下来。
If you read a book, pull things up. 如果你在读一本书,从里面提炼出想要的东西。
I just got through reading "The Great Gatsby," 我以前通读过《伟大的盖茨比》,
and I have a perfect idea of what he looks like in my head, so my own version. 我很清楚地知道他是怎样的人。 在我的脑海里,我有我自己的看法。
The last one is organization and support. 最后一个就是组织和支持。
organization:n.组织;机构;体制;团体;
We are meaning-making machines. It's what we do. 人天生喜欢追寻意义。我们做的也就是这个。
We try to make meaning out of everything that happens to us. 我们努力从任何事情中寻求意义所在。
Organization helps, so we need to structure what we're doing in ways that make sense. 大脑的组织整理功能帮助我们,所以我们要 让做的事情更加合情合理。
structure:n.结构;构造;建筑物;vt.组织;构成;建造;
If we are providing knowledge and experience, we need to structure that. 如果我们提供知识和经验, 就需要去构建它。
And the last one is support. 最后一个是支持。
We all started as novices . 我们都是从初学者起步的。
novices:n.新手,初学者(novice的复数形式);
Everything we do is an approximation of sophistication . 我们做的一切都是一点点趋向成熟。
approximation:n.[数]近似法;接近;[数]近似值; sophistication:n.复杂;诡辩;老于世故;有教养;
We should expect it to change over time. We have to support that. 这就需要时间使我们成熟起来。我们需要支持体系。
The support may come in asking people questions, giving them a sheet of paper that has an organizational chart on it or has some guiding images, but we need to support it. 这个支持体系通过问人们问题, 给他们有表格的纸张, 或一些提示性图片, 我们需要这样的支持体系。
sheet:n.薄板;床单;纸张;报纸;v.覆盖;展开;给…铺床单;铺开;adj.片状的; organizational:adj.组织的;编制的;
Now, the final piece of this, the take-home message from a working memory capacity standpoint is this: what we process, we learn. 现在,最后我要说的就是 从短期记忆能力的角度来看是这样的: 我们整理思考什么信息,就学习什么。
take-home:=take-homepay; standpoint:n.立场;观点;
If we're not processing life, we're not living it. 我们不整理思考人生,我们就是行尸走肉。
Live life. Thank you. 过好你的人生。谢谢。
(Applause) （掌声）