为什么我们总是喜欢选中间？ Caught in the Middle: Why We Like that Space So Much
大量的研究显示，人们会自然而然被吸引到中间，且偏爱在中间的事物
#文意选填 #心理
8/2 解析英语
作者 Brian Foden
阅读时间 6分钟
听讲解 听朗读

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为什么我们总是喜欢选中间？ Caught in the Middle: Why We Like that Space So Much
几乎所有事情都是如此，从人们自清单上所选择的数 字到学生选择的选择题答案

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文章主讲 Wesley

Here’s something you may have observed about human behavior. We are all creatures of habit. One habit that humans __1__ is choosing the middle option . Numerous studies have shown that people naturally gravitate to the center and have a preference for what’s in that middle space. This has been proven to be accurate in numerous different __2__. It’s true for almost anything, from which number in a list people choose to the multiple-choice   answer students select, and even to which bathroom stall people enter when the need __3__. There’s even a catchy name for it: the center stage effect.

option [ ˈɑpʃən ] n. 选择
gravitate [ ˈgrævəˌtet ] vi. 被吸引
gravitate to / towards...　　被⋯⋯吸引
accurate [ ˈækjərɪt ] a. 正确的，准确的
catchy [ ˈkætʃɪ ] a. 悦耳易记的
center stage　　舞台中心；焦点，令人瞩目的位置
take center stage　　成为焦点
为什么我们总是喜欢选中间？ Caught in the Middle: Why We Like that Space So Much

Experiments by Paul Rodway, a psychological researcher at the University of Chester in the United Kingdom, have __4__ this phenomenon . In his study, people were shown pictures that were __5__ up in a row and asked to select which one they preferred. Their bias in favor of the ones in the middle was clear.

phenomenon [ fəˈnɑməˌnɑn ] n. 现象（单数形）
phenomena [ fəˈnɑmənə ] n. 现象（复数形）
把英文变OK，站得更高看台湾。长期订阅65折起，33周年庆专案只到8/15。

Obviously , the center stage effect has __6__ for retailers. They exploit it by displaying goods that they wish to promote more __7__ in the center. Equally important for businesses, though, the tendency for shoppers to choose items right in the center of things also __8__ to sizes and prices. That is, if customers have a choice among prices or sizes—for instance, small, medium, and large—they will more often than not choose the medium. This is something that many coffee chain shops know well. Customers __9__ want the best value for the cost, so they tend to avoid the smallest size. Customers normally also __10__ the largest size, believing that they would be spending too much for their cup of java. Thus, by understanding human nature, shops and companies can more easily manipulate consumer behavior.

obviously [ ˈɑbvɪəslɪ ] adv. 显然地
exploit [ ɪkˈsplɔɪt ] vt. 利用；剥削
tendency [ ˈtɛndənsɪ ] n. 倾向
manipulate [ məˈnɪpjəˌlet ] vt. 操纵，操控


(A) reject (B) prominently (C) lined (D) scenarios (E) extends
(F) arises (G) implications (H) exhibit (I) typically (J) demonstrated


★中文翻译仅供参考，请勿逐字逐句对照

这里有件关于人类行为的事，你可能已经观察到了。我们都是习惯的动物。人类表现出的一种习惯是选择中间选项。大量的研究显示，人们会自然而然被吸引到中间，且偏爱在中间的事物。事实证明，这在许多不同的情况下都是正确的。几乎所有事情都是如此，从人们自清单上所选择的数字到学生选择的选择题答案，甚至是人们在内急需求出现时所进入的厕所隔间都是。这个现象甚至还有一个好记的名字：舞台中央效应。

英国切斯特大学的心理学研究员保罗．罗德威所进行的实验便展现出这种现象。他在研究中向受试者展示连续排列成一排的图片，并要求他们选择自己偏好的一张。他们偏爱选择中间图的倾向很明显。

舞台中央效应显然对零售商具有影响力。他们利用这种效应，将自己想要推销的商品更加显眼地展示在中间的位置。不过对企业而言同样重要的是，购物者选择恰好在中间的商品的倾向也延伸到尺寸和价格上。也就是说，如果消费者可以选择价格或大小 ── 例如，小、中、大 ── 他们多半会选择中。许多咖啡连锁店都非常了解这一点。顾客通常希望物超所值，所以他们往往会避免选择最小的尺寸。顾客通常也不考虑最大的尺寸，认为他们会花太多钱购买一杯咖啡。因此，藉由了解人性，商店和公司可以更轻易地操纵消费者的行为。