让大脑和身体共同参与

我们的情绪是全身心的体验。大量的证据已表明人身体的动作和姿势会对幸福感造成影响，这一现象被心理学家称为“具身认知”。一项研究发现，年轻人通过健身会收获更强的意志力和自控能力，会优先选择苹果等健康食品，而非不健康的巧克力让大脑和身体共同参与 - 图1——由此说明，当身体更强健时，人们的意志也更强大了。还有一项研究表明，和懒散地倚在椅子上的人相比，挺直坐在椅子上的人会在拼图挑战中表现出更持久的毅力让大脑和身体共同参与 - 图2——这是自信姿势会带来自信表现的又一力证。

所以，身体姿势很重要。请你记得在进行面试、参加考试和与人约会时，注意自己的仪态。挺胸抬头，四肢伸展，带上微笑，这便是获得成功的要诀。我的一位学生，在升入高年级后遇到了一系列重要且令人紧张的面试，她开始实践这一原则：“我一直是一个很害羞的人。在面试时，我会过于紧张，经常觉得自己的回答无法令人信服。”而在她学到身体姿势能带给人力量之后，便将之前的胆怯举止抛弃，着力做出改变。

在面试之前，我会让自己去趟洗手间，在镜子前张开双腿和双臂，挺起胸膛，抬起下巴。之后，我在面试过程中会感觉更加放松和自信。在讨论时我感觉自己更加充满能量，能够更好地思考，并对自己所说的内容更加自信。神奇的效果远不止这些。有的时候，一天当中我会有5场面试，这很容易让人筋疲力尽。在每场面试之前，我都会去趟洗手间，让自己做出高能量的姿势。这有效地帮助我重新振作起来。

如果说微笑可以成为一个人快乐的源泉，那么高能量的姿势便是一个人自信的源泉。对这位同学来说，它也是一份好工作的源泉。

在过去漫长的历史中，炼金术士前仆后继，花费数百年的时间，去寻找那神秘的圣碑，上面记载着点石成金，让人永葆青春、长生不老的秘密。毫无疑问，世间并不存在这样的魔法，任何对此付出的努力都将是徒劳的——亦如并不存在本章开头中，那位演讲者所说的“让人永葆幸福的秘诀”。即便如此，对年轻人来说，他们仍然渴望心理学能回答，究竟如何做才能幸福地度过一生——亦如炼金师对点石成金的执着追求。其实，实现这个目标并不需要魔法。积极的心态可以帮我们化解烦恼，分担压力，甚至能延长人的寿命。只要调整你的心态和行为，片刻间，幸福便触手可及。

通过本章，我们已了解了积极心理学的核心原则，明确了幸福是值得人追求的。接下来，就让我们一起踏上旅程，看看哪些切实可行的行为和心态能帮助我们获得真正的幸福。请挺直腰板，露出微笑——我们出发了。

  • Snyder, T.D. & Dillow, S.A. (2015). Digest of Education Statistics 2013(NCES 2015-011). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.

  • Kim-Prieto, C., Diener, E., Tamir, M., Scollon, C.N., & Diener, M., “Integrating the Diverse Definitions of Happiness: A Time-Sequential Framework of Subjective Well-Being,” Journal of Happiness Studies (2005) 6 (3) 261– 300.

  • Conklin, J.E. (2008). Campus Life in the Movies: A Critical Survey from the Silent Era to the Present. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company.

  • Ibid., 3.

  • https://www.nami.org/ Press-Media/ Press-Releases/2004/ Mental-Illness-Prolific Among-College-Students.

  • Twenge, J.M., Gentile, B., DeWall, N., Ma, D., Lacefield, K., & Schurtz,D.R., “Birth Cohort Increases in Psychopathology among Young Americans,1938– 2007: A Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis of the MMPI,” Clinical Psychology Review 30 (2010): 145– 154.

  • QuickStats: Suicide Rates for Teens Aged 15– 19 Years, by Sex—United States, 1975–2015. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 66 (2017): 816.

  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (2012). College Students Speak: A Survey Report on Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/collegesurvey.

  • Wang, S.S., “Is Happiness Overrated?” Wall Street Journal, March 15, 2011.Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704893604 576200471545379388.

  • Wilson, C., “Final Word: Happiness Is Overrated. You Can Bank on It,”USA Today, April 10, 2012. Retrieved from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/columnist/finalword/story/201-04-10/ final word-happiness-overrated-craig-wilson/54160464/1.

  • Winterson, J. (2011). Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? NewYork: Grove Press.

  • Ehrenreich, B. (2011). Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America. New York: Metropolitan Books.

  • Kirkey, S., “Refute of Happiness: How Our Obsession with Positivity Is Mak ing Us Miserable — and Insufferable,” National Post, October 16, 2015.Retrieved from http://news.nationalpost.com/life/refute-of-happiness-how-our-obsession-with-positivity-is-making-us-miserable-and-insufferable?lsa= 95d7-515e.

  • Ben-Shahar, T. (2007). Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment New York: McGraw-Hill.

  • Snowdon, D.A., Kemper, S.J., Mortimer, J.A., Greiner, L.H., Wekstein,D.R., & Markesbery, W.R., “Linguistic Ability in Early Life and Cognitive Function and Alzheimer’s Disease in Late Life. Findings from the Nun Study,” Journal of the American Medical Association 275 (1996): 528–532.

  • Danner, D.D., Snowdon, D.A., & Friesen, W.V., “Positive Emotions in Early Life and Longevity: Findings from the Nun Study,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 80 (2001): 804– 813.

  • Fredrickson, B.L., “The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology:The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions,” American Psychologist 56 (2001): 218– 226.

  • Ingraham, C., “America’s Top Fears: Public Speaking, Heights and Bugs,”Washington Post, October 30, 2014. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/10/30/ clowns-are-twice-as-scary-to-democrats-as-they-are-to-republicans/.

  • Fredrickson, B.L., Mancuso, R.A., Branigan, C., & Tugade, M.M. “The Undoing Effect of Positive Emotions,” Motivation and Emotion 24 (2000):237– 258.

  • Fredrickson, B.L., “The Role of Positive Emotions in Positive Psychology:The Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotions,” American Psychologist 56 (2001): 218– 226.

  • Ibid., 222.

  • Cloninger, C.R., “Mind, Body, Soul and Science: Researching Happiness at SLU and WashU” (Don Marsh, interviewer) [audio file], St. Louis Public Radio, September 1, 2015. Retrieved from http://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/ mind-body-soul-and-science-researching-happiness-slu-and-wash-u#stream/0.

  • The effects held even when the researchers controlled for physical attractiveness, suggesting that physical beauty itself does not lead to life outcomes like high-quality relationships and the capacity for interpersonal warmth, cheerfulness, and sociability. Rather, a high-quality smile that reflects inner hapiness is far more valuable.

  • Carney, D.R., Cuddy, A.J.C., Yap, A.J., “Power Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk Tolerance,” Psychological Science 21 (2010): 1363– 1368.

  • Ibid., 1366.

  • Hung, I.W. & Labroo, A.A., “From Firm Muscles to Firm Willpower: Understanding the Role of Embodied Cognition in Self-Regulation,” Journal of Consumer Research 37 (2011): 1046– 1064.

  • Riskind, J.H. & Gotay, C.C., “Physical Posture: Could It Have Regulatory or Feedback Effects on Motivation and Emotion?” Motivation and Emotion 6 (1982): 273– 298.