预先知道的伤害更加疼痛

Pain on Purpose Hurts More 有意的伤害更痛

When it comes to pain, it’s the thought that counts. Because pain hurts more when it’s inflicted on purpose. Or so say researchers from Harvard University in the December issue of Psychological Science.
说到对疼痛的感受，真正起作用的是思想。这是因为有意的伤害让人感受更痛。至少来自哈佛大学的研究者们是这样说的，他们的研究结果发表在12月的《心理学科学》（Psychological Science）杂志上。

Forty-three people were paired off with a partner for what they were told would be a test of psychological perception. Then they were hooked up to some electrodes, and given a quick zap. Sometimes the shock was “intentional.” So, the partner would call for a shock to be administered, and zzzt it came. But sometimes the shock was unintentional. That is, the partner called for the subject to hear a pleasant tone, but those zap-happy researchers hit the shock button instead.
43名参与者分别与一名伙伴达成对，他们被告知要进行一项心理感知测试。然后实验人员把电极接到他们身上，并给他们施加一次快速的电击。有时候这些电击是“有意的”。这时，这名伙伴会要求来一次电击，随后伴随着“滋滋”声，他们被电击了。但是， 有些时候这些电击是无意的。这时，这名伙伴告诉被测试者来听一个愉快的曲子，而实际上是那些研究者们按动电击按钮而已。

They then asked the subjects to rate the pain. The results? On a scale of one to seven, with seven being “extremely uncomfortable,” the shocks that were done on purpose rated a respectable 3.6. But the same exact shock when given by accident only rated a 3.
随后，研究者们让被测试者们给他们感受到的疼痛评级。疼痛从1到7分为7个等级，7意味着“极度难受”。结果如何呢？ 当电击是有意施加的时候，测试者感受的疼痛为3.6级。但是，当电击是偶然施加的时候，测试者感受的疼痛为3.0级。

That emotional response to pain makes evolutionary sense, the researchers say. Because an ouch that’s just an accident is probably one-time thing. Whereas someone who wants to do you harm will probably do it again. In which case it may be a good idea to pull off your electrodes and just go home.
研究者们说对疼痛的情绪反应是有进化论意义的。因为偶然疼痛可能只是一次性事件。不过要是有人想伤害你的话，他或许会继续这样做。如果是这样的话，那么拔掉你身上的电极然后直接回家未尝不是个好注意。

Vocabulary:

Count：起重要作用
Inflict：施加痛苦
Zap: （俚语）精力，震击
Ouch：（感叹词）哎哟
Respectable：（数量等）可观的
pull off：拔掉