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If you want to get someone to do something, ask them in their right ear, say scientists.

科學家說，如果你想要讓某人做某事，在他們的右耳旁邊要求他們。

Italian researchers found people were better at processing information when requests were made on that side in three separate tests. They believe this is because the left side of the brain, which is known to be better at processing requests, deals with information from the right ear.

義大利研究人員發現，在3項不同的測試中，如果人是從右邊耳朵接收到要求，他們的資訊處理的比較好。他們相信，這是因為已知較擅於處理要求的左腦，是處理來自右耳的資訊。

In the first study, 286 clubbers were observed while they were talking with loud music in the background. In total, 72% of interactions occurred on the right side of the listener. In the second study, researchers approached 160 clubbers and mumbled an inaudible, meaningless utterance and waited for the subjects to turn their head and offer either their left or their right ear. They then asked them for a cigarette.

在第一份研究中，研究人員觀察286名在吵雜的音樂聲中與人交談的夜店族。整體而言，72%的互動都是發生在聆聽者的右邊。在第二份研究中，研究人員走向160名夜店族，在他們身邊發出聽不到，沒有意義的聲音，等待研究樣本轉過頭來，用左耳或右耳聆聽。然後問他們有沒有菸。

Overall, 58% offered their right ear for listening and 42% their left.

總共有58%的人，是用右耳聽，42%是用左耳。

In the third study, the researchers intentionally addressed 176 clubbers in either their right or their left ear when asking for a cigarette.

第三份研究中，研究人員向176名夜店族要菸的時候，故意在他們的左耳或右耳說。

The researchers obtained significantly more cigarettes when they spoke to the clubbers’ right ear compared with their left.

研究人員在這些夜店族的右耳說話時，比在左耳邊說話時，要來的菸多很多。

新聞辭典

clubber：名詞，常去夜店的人。

mumble：動詞，含糊地說，咕噥著說。例句："I’m sorry, " he mumbled.（他嘟囔著說：「我很抱歉。」）

utterance：名詞，話語、發言。例句：The senator’s weekend utterances were promptly rebutted by three of his colleagues on Monday.（這位參議員週末的發言，週一迅速遭到三名同僚抵制。）

自由時報-980702

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