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作者：Jim Kling  
出處：WebMD醫學新聞

　　April 12, 2010 (西雅圖) — 一項發表於行為醫學會第31屆年會與科學會議的新研究顯示，婦女在被汙辱而接受道歉之後，血壓迅速恢復正常，而男性的恢復則慢上許多。
　　
　　之前的研究顯示，當人們再度面臨一個過去的錯誤的記憶時，寬恕會影響生理反應和恢復，目前研究的目標在於探討生活事件之後的生理影響。
　　
　　為了進行研究，研究者招募了29名男性以及50名女性，使用「寬恕人格量表」檢測寬恕程度。要求研究對象從「9000減7」開始進行一系列減法運算，當他們計算時，給予多種干擾，這些干擾包括大叫「瞧，你算太慢而且都不對」、「這不會是你最好的成績」、「你顯然不擅長計算這個問題」等。
　　
　　總共有40人接受實驗者的道歉，寬恕分數較高者，接受道歉後的舒張壓(DBP)恢復比較快(F 1,70 = 4.88，P < .05)，平均動脈壓(MAP)也是(F 1,70 = 3.96，P < .05)。
　　
　　相較於低寬恕分數(對道歉的反應較少[P > .05])的婦女，寬恕分數較高的婦女接受道歉之後的效果最明顯，有較低的DBP (F 1,23 = 8.75，P < .01)和MAP (F 1,23 = 8.56，P < .01)。
　　
　　接受道歉的婦女恢復得比未接受者快(DBP：F 1,47 = 8.71，P < .01；MAP：F 1,47 = 7.00，P < .01)，至於男性，結果相反，接受道歉者出現比未接受道歉者更高的DBP (F 1,26 = 5.13，P < .05)和MAP (F 1,26 = 6.71，P < .05)。
　　
　　結果認為，寬恕程度較高者，過錯造成的心血管壓力減少較多，不過，道歉的正面效果顯然有性別差異。
　　
　　麻州大學醫學院博士後研究員、發表本研究的Matthew Whited博士向Medscape Psychiatry表示，還不知道這些研究發現該如何詮釋到臨床，但是男性和女性對道歉之反應的差異，可能可以運用於婚姻治療。即使是非語言的溝通，例如翻白眼，都會影響另一個人的生理反應。
　　
　　該研究博得稱讚，因為它引出實際狀況的反應，紐約Syracuse大學心理教授Kevin S. Masters博士在發表後的討論時表示，之前許多研究要求研究對象想像(被冒犯)，但是效果不彰。Masters博士曾經考慮類似的實驗設計，他指出，不過，因為擔心機構回顧委員會的通過與否而未進行，看來我當時太膽小了。
　　
　　另一名聽眾問道，研究對象是否有可能誤解這些阻礙，北卡羅來納Greenville東卡羅萊納大學心理系主任、教授Kathleen Lawler-Row博士向Medscape Psychiatry表示，在學術設定中，他們將它視為其表現的誠實回饋，我認為，如果研究將真正的侵犯納入會更好，但是她依舊對該研究印象深刻，它是一個有力的研究設計。
　　
　　該研究未接受商業補助，Whited博士、 Masters博士以及 Lawler-Row 博士皆宣告沒有相關財務關係。
　　
　　行為醫學會第31屆年會與科學會議：摘要2C。


Women Calm Down After an Apology, Men Get More Worked Up

By Jim Kling
Medscape Medical News

April 12, 2010 (Seattle, Washington) — Women’s blood pressure returns to normal more swiftly when they receive an apology after an insult, whereas men recover more slowly, new research presented here at the Society of Behavioral Medicine 31st Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions shows.

Prior studies have shown that forgiveness can influence physiologic reactivity and recovery when people revisit a memory of a past transgression. The aim of the current study was to investigate physiologic effects after a live incident.

For the study, investigators recruited 29 men and 50 women who were tested for levels of forgiving using the Forgiving Personality Inventory. Subjects were asked to perform a serial subtraction task, beginning with 9000 and subtracting 7. They were exposed to multiple interruptions from the experimenter while performing the task. Interjections included statements such as, "Look, you’re too slow and also inaccurate," That can’t be your best," and "You’re obviously not good enough at doing this."

A total of 40 participants received an apology from the experimenter. Those who scored high in forgiveness displayed faster recovery of diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (F 1,70 = 4.88, P < .05) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) (F 1,70 = 3.96, P < .05) after the apology.

The effect was most apparent in the immediate aftermath of the apology, when women who scored high in forgiveness had a lower DBP (F 1,23 = 8.75, P < .01) and MAP (F 1,23 = 8.56, P < .01) when compared with low forgiveness women, who had little response to the apology (P > .05).

Women who received an apology recovered faster than women who did not (DBP: F 1,47 = 8.71, P < .01; MAP: F 1,47 = 7.00, P < .01). In men, the effect was reversed. Those who received an apology displayed higher DBP (F 1,26 = 5.13, P < .05) and MAP (F 1,26 = 6.71, P < .05) on recovery than those who received no apology.

The results suggest that people with higher forgiveness levels experience greater attenuation of the cardiovascular stress that can occur as a result of a transgression. However, the beneficial effects of an apology appear to be dependent on sex.

It is premature to say how these findings translate into clinical research, but the difference in men’s and women’s reaction to apologies could potentially be applied to marital therapy, Matthew Whited, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, who presented the research, told Medscape Psychiatry. "Even nonverbal communication, such as rolling one’s eyes, affects the physiology [of the other person]."

The study drew praise because it elicits reaction to a real-world situation. "A lot of previous studies ask participants to imagine [a transgression]. It’s hard to go anywhere with that," Kevin S. Masters, PhD, professor of psychology at Syracuse University in New York, said during a discussion period after the presentation. Dr. Masters has considered similar experimental designs, he added, but declined to pursue them for fear of having to navigate an institutional review board. "It turned out I was [too] chicken [to do it]."

Another attendee wondered if the participants could have misinterpreted the interruptions. "In an academic setting, they could have seen it as honest feedback [on their performance]. I think it would be better if the study involved genuine aggression," Kathleen Lawler-Row, PhD, professor and chair of psychology at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, told Medscape Psychiatry. Nevertheless, she was impressed by the study. "It was a powerful [study] design."

The study did not receive commercial support. Dr. Whited, Dr. Masters, and Dr. Lawler-Row have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.