压力也会“传染”

A new study reveals we can actually 'catch' other people's stress.

最新研究表明，我们会“传染上”他人的压力。

Professor Elaine Hatfield, a psychologist from the University of Hawaii, discovered that stress can be as contagious¹（传染性的） as a cold, and that 'passive' or second-hand² stress and anxiety can quickly spread around the workplace.

'People seem to be capable of mimicking⁴ others' facial, vocal⁵, and postural⁶ expressions with stunning⁷（极好的） rapidity,' Hatfield said.

'As a consequence, they are able to feel themselves into those other emotional lives to a surprising extent.'

Prof. Hatfield's study found that we are effectively sponges（海绵） , soaking up so-called emotional contagions⁸ emitted by those around us.

As we absorb other people's stress, we can begin to feel stressed too - and to focus on issues that might be troubling us.

In part, we take on our friend or colleague's stress in an attempt to identify with them, but also because the constant stream of discontent poured into our ears acts as a depressant, turning our minds to negative thoughts.

And Professor Hatfield found that not only do we take on other people's negative thought patterns, we can also start to subconsciously⁹（潜意识地） take on their stressed out body language, causing us to hunch¹⁰ our shoulders and furrow¹¹（犁，耕） our brows（眉毛） when we talk to them.

'In conversation, people automatically and continuously mimic³ and synchronise¹²（同步） their movements with the facial expressions, voices, postures¹³, movements, and instrumental behaviors of others,' Professor Hatfield says.

'Women are more at risk because they tend to be more in tune¹⁴ to other people's feelings.'