(单词翻译:单击)
Pheromones: they're those chemical signals often associated with attraction. But there are many chemical signals we give off—including ones that might signal alarm, aggression or other emotions.
信息素是一种化学信号，常与吸引力有关。我们散发出的化学信号有许多种，包括那些传递警觉，攻击或者其他情绪的化学信号。
For example, take fear. If sweat contains compounds associated with fear, could someone smelling the sweat of a frightened person themselves wind up experiencing fear?
用恐惧来作例子。如果汗水里包含与恐惧有关的化合物，那么当一个人闻到另一个感到恐惧的人身上散发出的汗味，他会最终感受到恐惧吗？
To find out, researchers had male subjects watch two movies. One was scary, and the other made viewers feel disgusted. The researchers then collected the participants' sweat. Female subjects then smelled the sweat, while the scientists recorded their facial expressions. And the women who smelled “fear sweat” actually produced fearful facial expressions. While those who smelled the “disgust sweat” made disgusted faces. The inference is that the chemical compounds impelled the female subjects to remotely experience the same emotions felt by the sweaty males. The study is in the journal Psychological Science.
为了找到答案，研究人员让男性受试者观看了两部电影。一部电影是恐怖片，另一部则让观众觉得恶心。研究人员收集了受试者的汗液，然后让女性受试者闻收集到的汗液，并会记录下她们的面部表情。闻到“害怕的汗”时，女性们脸上真的会出现恐惧的神情。那些闻到“恶心的汗”的女性则会做出恶心的表情。因此研究人员推断化学信号会驱使女性受试者远程体验与流汗者同样的情绪。这项研究发表在《心理科学》杂志上。
So despite our lack of conscious awareness of interpersonal chemical communication, it seems that we nevertheless do physically and psychologically process such chemical signals. The researchers note that this study provides evidence that communication is not limited to language and visual cues: even we rational humans can become “emotionally synchronized” via scent.
尽管我们并没有意识到人际间存在化学信号交流，但不管怎样，我们的生理和心理均在处理这种化学信号。研究人员指出这项研究为交流并不局限于语言和眼神提供了证据：即使我们是有理性的人类，但我们的情绪仍会被气味“同化”。
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