06 Animal Physiology and Psychology:The Adrenaline of Animals
動(dòng)物生理心理學(xué)：論草原大哺乳動(dòng)物掠食者與被食者生理心理的變化

導(dǎo)讀

生理心理學(xué)是心理學(xué)研究的重要組成部分，它探討的是心理活動(dòng)的生理基礎(chǔ)和腦的機(jī)制。它的研究包括腦與行為的演化，腦的解剖與發(fā)展及其和行為的關(guān)系，認(rèn)知、運(yùn)動(dòng)控制、動(dòng)機(jī)行為、情緒和精神障礙等心理現(xiàn)象和行為的神經(jīng)過(guò)程和神經(jīng)機(jī)制。本文以草原大哺乳動(dòng)物掠食者與被食者生理心理的變化為切入點(diǎn)，探討動(dòng)物生理心理學(xué)。

 

The evolution of intelligence among early large mammals of the grasslands was due in great measure to the interaction between two ecologically synchronized groups of these animals, the hunting carnivores and the herbivores that they hunted. The interaction resulting from the differences between predator and prey led to a general improvement in brain functions; however, certain components of intelligence were improved far more than others.

The kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention—that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next. It ranges from a passive, free-floating awareness to a highly focused, active fixation. The range through these states is mediated by the arousal system, a network of tracts converging from sensory systems to integrating centers in the brain stem. From the more relaxed to the more vigorous levels, sensitivity to novelty is increased. The organism is more awake, more vigilant; this increased vigilance results in the apprehension of ever more subtle signals as the organism becomes more sensitive to its surroundings. The processes of arousal and concentration give attention its direction. Arousal is at first general, with a flooding of impulses in the brain stem; then gradually the activation is channeled. Thus begins concentration, the holding of consistent images. One meaning of intelligence is the way in which these images and other alertly searched information are used in the context of previous experience. Consciousness links past attention to the present and permits the integration of details with perceived ends and purposes.

The elements of intelligence and conscious-ness come together marvelously to produce different styles in predator and prey. Herbivores and carnivores develop different kinds of attention related to escaping or chasing. Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression. For both, arousal attunes the animal to what is ahead. Perhaps it does not experience forethought as we know it, but the animal does experience something like it. The predator is searchingly aggressive, innerdirected, tuned by the nervous system and the adrenal hormones, but aware in a sense closer to human consciousness than, say, a hungry lizard's instinctive snap at a passing beetle. Using past events as a framework, the large mammal predator is working out a relationship between movement and food, sensitive to possibilities in cold trails and distant sounds—and yesterday's unforgotten lessons. The herbivore prey is of a different mind. Its mood of wariness rather than searching and its attitude of general expectancy instead of anticipating are silk-thin veils of tranquility over an explosive endocrine system.

Sentence Translation

句子翻譯

1. The kind of intelligence favored by the interplay of increasingly smarter catchers and increasingly keener escapers is defined by attention—that aspect of mind carrying consciousness forward from one moment to the next.

2. Although in both kinds of animal, arousal stimulates the production of adrenaline and norepinephrine by the adrenal glands, the effect in herbivores is primarily fear, whereas in carnivores the effect is primarily aggression.

Key

1．由越來(lái)越聰明的追捕者同越來(lái)越敏銳的逃脫者之間的相互影響所加強(qiáng)起來(lái)的這種智力可以稱為注意力，即隨著時(shí)間的轉(zhuǎn)變推動(dòng)意識(shí)向前發(fā)展的那種心理狀態(tài)。

2．雖然在這兩種動(dòng)物身上，激發(fā)都促進(jìn)腎上腺產(chǎn)生腎上腺素和新腎上腺素，但是在食草動(dòng)物身上產(chǎn)生的后果主要是恐懼，而在食肉動(dòng)物身上產(chǎn)生的后果主要是進(jìn)攻。