囧研究：健康在于和自己差的人比较

屈联西

  2011年03月04日  环球时报  



　　Although French singer Edith Piaf defiantly sang that she would have no regrets, most people will look back and say "if only" at many points in their lives。
　　But holding on to "what might have been" can actually be detrimental to your health。
　　Scientists from Concordia University found that people who compared themselves to successful friends and neighbors caught more colds than people who did the same with those they considered worse off。
　　Lead author Dr Isabelle Bauer, said: "Our study examined how younger and older adults cope with life regrets."
　　"One common coping mechanism was through social comparisons, which can be both good and bad, depending on whether people think they can undo their regrets."
　　"Generally if people compare themselves to those who are worse off, they're going to feel better."
　　"When they compare themselves to people who are better off, it can make them feel worse."
　　The researchers asked 104 adults of various ages to complete a survey about their greatest regrets。
　　These ranged from not spending enough time with their family to having married the wrong person. Participants were then asked to report how the severity of their own regrets compared to the regrets of other people their age。
　　The scientists found those who regularly considered those less fortunate than themselves reported a positive effect on their emotional well-being。
　　Senior author Professor Carsten Wrosch, said: "The emotional distress of regrets can trigger biological disregulation of the hormone and immune systems that makes people more vulnerable to develop clinical health problems - whether a cold or other potentially longer-term health problems. "
　　"In this study, we showed that downward social comparisons can improve emotional well-being and help prevent health problems."
　　Unlike findings from previous studies on the same topic, age did not determine how effectively people reconciled their life regrets。
　　Dr Bauer said: "Moving on and being able to maintain good emotional well-being depends greatly on an individual's opportunity to correct the cause of their regrets."
　　法国歌手伊迪丝•琵雅芙固执地唱出不留任何遗憾的心声，然而大部人往往对人生的某些节点“悔不当初”。
　　然而这种“悔不当初”的心境却会有损健康。
　　康科迪亚大学的科学家发现那些惯于同成功的朋友邻居比较的人感冒的次数比那些习惯“比下”的人多。
　　该研究的首席作者伊莎贝尔•鲍尔博士称：“我们研究了各年龄阶段的成年人处理人生遗憾的方式。”
　　“其中一项共同的处理模式就是进行社会比较。然而比较是把双刃剑，关键在于人们是否认为能够消除这些遗憾。”
　　“一般说来， '比上'让人感觉更遗憾，'比下'则能舒缓情绪。”
　　研究人员让104名年龄各异的成人完成一项关于人生最大遗憾的调查，遗憾包括与家人相聚时间太少，夫妻性格不合等。实验要求受试者根据同龄人的遗憾报告自己的遗憾程度。
　　科学家发现那些经常和不及自己幸运的人比较的人心理情绪状态更为积极。
　　高级作家卡斯腾•霍什教授说：“心理遗憾导致的情绪压力会引发荷尔蒙和免疫系统紊乱，让人更容易出现临床健康问题，像感冒或者其他潜在的长期健康隐患。”
　　本次研究和以往类似话题的研究结果不同，年龄对人们如何处理人生遗憾并没有太大影响。
　　鲍尔博士称：“能否出现遗憾仍积极生活并保持乐观情绪，很大程度取决于个人能否有机会纠正遗憾产生的原因。”

屈联西

Although French singer Edith Piaf defiantly sang that she would have no regrets, most people will look back and say "if only" at many points in their lives。法国歌手伊迪丝
•琵雅芙固执地唱出不留任何遗憾的心声，然而大部人往往对人生的某些节点“悔不当初”。
　　But holding on to "what might have been" can actually be detrimental to your health。然而这种“悔不当初”的心境却会有损健康。
　　Scientists from Concordia University found that people who compared themselves to successful friends and neighbors caught more colds than people who did the same with those they considered worse off。康科迪亚大学的科学家发现那些惯于同成功的朋友邻居比较的人感冒的次数比那些习惯“比下”的人多。

屈联西

　　Lead author Dr Isabelle Bauer, said: "Our study examined how younger and older adults cope with life regrets."该研究的首席作者伊莎贝尔•鲍尔博士称：“我们研究了各年龄阶段的成年人处理人生遗憾的方式。”
　　"One common coping mechanism was through social comparisons, which can be both good and bad, depending on whether people think they can undo their regrets."“其中一项共同的处理模式就是进行社会比较。然而比较是把双刃剑，关键在于人们是否认为能够消除这些遗憾。”
　　"Generally if people compare themselves to those who are worse off, they're going to feel better.When they compare themselves to people who are better off, it can make them feel worse."“一般说来， '比上'让人感觉更遗憾，'比下'则能舒缓情绪。”

屈联西

　　The researchers asked 104 adults of various ages to complete a survey about their greatest regrets。These ranged from not spending enough time with their family to having married the wrong person. Participants were then asked to report how the severity of their own regrets compared to the regrets of other people their age。The scientists found those who regularly considered those less fortunate than themselves reported a positive effect on their emotional well-being。研究人员让104名年龄各异的成人完成一项关于人生最大遗憾的调查，遗憾包括与家人相聚时间太少，夫妻性格不合等。实验要求受试者根据同龄人的遗憾报告自己的遗憾程度。科学家发现那些经常和不及自己幸运的人比较的人心理情绪状态更为积极。

屈联西

　　Senior author Professor Carsten Wrosch, said: "The emotional distress of regrets can trigger biological disregulation of the hormone and immune systems that makes people more vulnerable to develop clinical health problems - whether a cold or other potentially longer-term health problems. "　高级作家卡斯腾•霍什教授说：“心理遗憾导致的情绪压力会引发荷尔蒙和免疫系统紊乱，让人更容易出现临床健康问题，像感冒或者其他潜在的长期健康隐患。”

屈联西

　　Unlike findings from previous studies on the same topic, age did not determine how effectively people reconciled their life regrets。本次研究和以往类似话题的研究结果不同，年龄对人们如何处理人生遗憾并没有太大影响。
　　Dr Bauer said: "Moving on and being able to maintain good emotional well-being depends greatly on an individual's opportunity to correct the cause of their regrets."鲍尔博士称：“能否出现遗憾仍积极生活并保持乐观情绪，很大程度取决于个人能否有机会纠正遗憾产生的原因。”