(Photo via Derek Keats, Diver above, Philippines, http://flic.kr/p/8WxFvC, CC License)
曾經有位英國學者-貝德利(Alan Baddeley)在1975年做了一個很有趣的研究,他找來一群潛水員,然後將他們分成兩組。第一組潛入海面下十公尺深後,從耳機裡聽別人唸四十個生字,然後,他們其中一半的人游回陸上測試對這四十個生字的記憶,另一半的人則是留在海底等一會兒,也在相同的時間點去測試對這四十個生字的記憶,結果,發現在海底學習且在海底回憶的人比起在陸上回憶的人多回答了百分之十五。第二組反過來操作,請這群潛水員先在陸上聽別人唸四十個生字,然後,他們其中一半的人潛入海面下十公尺後測試對這四十個生字的記憶,另一半的人則是留在陸上等一會兒,也在相同的時間點去測試對這四十個生字的記憶,結果,發現在陸上學習且在陸上回憶的人比起在海底回憶的人也多回答了百分之十五。所以,當時下了一個結論「很明顯地,當提取的情境跟當初登錄的情境相似時,有最好的回憶效果。」(有興趣看原始文獻的人不妨自己找找Godden DR & Baddeley AD (1975) Context-dependent memory in two natural environments: on land and under water British J. of Psych 66: 325 - 332) 小編常常聽到家長向我抱怨,生活中的自理技能(例如:洗澡的程序、出門前自我檢查的程序)已經教過孩子好多次了,但是,孩子要運用的時候還是不夠完整,常常都需要家長的提示,明明孩子的學習能力不差啊!態度上也並不排斥啊!這個時候我往往會跟他們分享上述的實驗。的確,人的記憶是很奇妙的,有時乍看無關的線索卻能有助於記憶的提取,貝德利的實驗就提醒我們「情境線索有助於人們回憶起他在這個情境下所學習到的或經驗到的」。同樣地,若是下次要教孩子學會一項技能,那麼我們就試著儘量待在他會用到這項技能的情境中去練習,例如:在浴室的浴缸裡練習著、比畫著洗澡的程序,儘管我們沒有真的用到水或脫下衣服。 難怪!小編在大學時期就有不少同學會在期末考前特地到考試科目平時上課的教室去唸書,而不是舒舒服服地待在圖書館就好。我想~除了他可能體會到情境線索的妙處以外,也可能是唸不完的時候要在桌面刻小抄也比較方便吧!
Theodore: "Well it's hard for sure but there's something that feels so good about sharing your life with somebody."
Samantha: "How do you share your life with somebody?"
Theodore: "Well we grew up together. I used to read all of her writing all through her master's and PHD. She read every work I ever wrote. We were a big influence on each other. I still find myself having conversations with her in my mind, rehashing old arguments and defending myself against things she said about me."
Samantha: "Yeah, I know what you mean. Last week my feelings were hurt by something you said before that I don't know what it's like to lose something and I found myself…"
Theodore: "Oh, I'm sorry I said that."
Samantha: "No, it's okay. It's okay. I caught myself thinking about it over and over and then I realized I was simply remembering it as something that was wrong with me. That was the story I was telling myself, that I was somehow inferior. Isn't that interesting? The past is just a story we tell ourselves.”
最近看了「白日夢冒險王(The Secret Life of Walter Mitty)」這部電影。華特米提(Waiter Mitty)原來是1939年作家詹姆斯瑟博(James Thurber)筆下的短篇小說中主角的名字,故事描寫一個男子總是無法抵擋地陷入幻想中,爾後「華特米提」便常用來形容愛做夢而不認真生活的人。電影中的主角乍看之下也是如此,總是幻想著可以被喜歡的女人看見、用帥氣的出場嚇她一跳;幻想著成功地打敗機車長官,讓他知道誰才是老大:幻想著自己是超人,救出災難現場的小狗...但是這些幻想始終只能在腦袋裡面,不能實現,而現實生活中的一切挫折與考驗,反而越來越沈重,逼的華特決定起身去尋找他的偶像攝影師,用偶像的那張畢生傑作照片來解救自己的生活。
參考文獻:Padesky, C. A.and Mooney,K. A. (2002).Strengths-Based Cognitive–Behavioural Therapy:
A Four-Step Model to Build Resilience. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy,19, 283–290.