Germans have a word for it -- schadenfreude -- and when it comes to getting pleasure from someone else's misfortune, men seem to enjoy it more than women. Such is the conclusion reached by scientists at University College London in what they say is the first neuroscientific(1) evidence of schadenfreude.

    Using brain-imaging techniques, they compared how men and women reacted when watching other people suffer pain.

    If the sufferer was someone they liked, areas of the brain linked to empathy and pain were activated in both sexes. To those they disliked women had a similar response, but men showed a surge(2) in the reward areas of the brain.

    "The women had a diminished(3) empathic response(4)," said Dr Stephan, a co-author of the report. "But it was still there, whereas in the men it was completely absent(5)."

    The scientists said the research shows that empathic responses in men are shaped by the perceived fairness of others." Empathic responses to other people are not automatic, as has been assumed in the past, but depend on the emotional link to the person who is observed suffering," Stephan said.

    In the two-part study, 32 men and women volunteers played a game in which they exchanged money with four other people who were actors playing a part. The actors were either fair(6) characters, who returned equal amounts of cash that have been given to them, or unfair people who gave little or no money back to the volunteers.

    In the second part of the experiment, the volunteers were placed in magnetic(7) imaging brain scanners(8) as they watched the actors receiving a mild(9) electric shock, similar to a bee sting. The scientists measured reactions of the volunteers in areas of the brain associated with pain and empathy and reward while the actors experienced pain.

    The responses shown in the brain images were backed up with questionnaires(10) filled in by the volunteers. Men admitted to having a much higher desire for revenge than women and derived(11) satisfaction from seeing the unfair person being punished.

    "We will need to confirm these gender(12) differences in larger studies because it is possible the experimental design favoured(13) men as there was a physical rather than psychological or financial threat involved," said Dr Tania Singer, who led the study.

    德語中有一個詞專用於形容幸災樂禍：“schadenfreude”。倫敦尤尼弗斯特大學科學家從神經學方麵證實：男性比女性更容易幸災樂禍。

    科學家們利用腦電波成像技術比較男性和女性在看到別人受苦時的腦部反應。

    如(ru)果(guo)受(shou)難(nan)者(zhe)是(shi)他(ta)們(men)喜(xi)歡(huan)的(de)人(ren)

，男(nan)女(nv)腦(nao)中(zhong)負(fu)責(ze)同(tong)情(qing)和(he)痛(tong)苦(ku)區(qu)域(yu)的(de)反(fan)應(ying)同(tong)樣(yang)活(huo)躍(yue)。如(ru)果(guo)受(shou)難(nan)者(zhe)是(shi)他(ta)們(men)反(fan)感(gan)的(de)人(ren)，女(nv)人(ren)的(de)反(fan)應(ying)沒(mei)有(you)太(tai)大(da)變(bian)化(hua)
，但(dan)是(shi)男(nan)人(ren)腦(nao)中(zhong)的(de)獎(jiang)賞(shang)區(qu)域(yu)的(de)反(fan)應(ying)卻(que)十(shi)分(fen)劇(ju)烈(lie)

    報告合作作者斯戴芬博士說：“女性的移情反應有所減弱
，至少還有，但是男性的根本就消失了。”

    科(ke)學(xue)家(jia)們(men)說(shuo)研(yan)究(jiu)表(biao)明(ming)，男(nan)性(xing)是(shi)否(fou)會(hui)產(chan)生(sheng)移(yi)情(qing)反(fan)應(ying)取(qu)決(jue)於(yu)他(ta)人(ren)是(shi)否(fou)曾(zeng)善(shan)待(dai)他(ta)。斯(si)戴(dai)芬(fen)說(shuo)，同(tong)情(qing)並(bing)非(fei)如(ru)我(wo)們(men)曾(zeng)經(jing)認(ren)為(wei)的(de)那(na)樣(yang)是(shi)自(zi)發(fa)的(de)，而(er)是(shi)取(qu)決(jue)於(yu)受(shou)難(nan)者(zhe)與(yu)自(zi)己(ji)的(de)情(qing)感(gan)關(guan)係(xi)。

    這項研究分成兩個步驟，共有32個誌願者參加。首先每個誌願者與4個工作人員換錢。有的“正直”的工作人員交還了同樣數量的錢，但其他“不正直”的人要麼隻還一點要麼幹脆不還。

    第二部分中，誌願者們戴著電磁腦部掃描設備觀看工作人員遭受輕度的電擊（像被蜜蜂蜇了一下）。同時

，科學家們記錄下他們腦部有關同情
、痛苦和回報區域的活動情況。科學家們同時記錄下他們腦部有關同情、痛感和回報的區域的活動情況。

    誌zhi願yuan者zhe們men在zai調tiao查zha問wen卷juan中zhong的de回hui答da也ye進jin一yi步bu證zheng實shi了le腦nao部bu掃sao描miao結jie果guo的de準zhun確que性xing。男nan性xing誌zhi願yuan者zhe承cheng認ren他ta們men有you更geng強qiang的de報bao複fu心xin理li，看kan到dao對dui他ta們men不bu公gong正zheng的de人ren受shou苦ku能neng獲huo得de滿man足zu感gan。

    坦尼亞辛格·博士說：“kexuejiamenrenweirengxuyaojinxinggengdaguimodeyanjiulaiyanzhengzheyixingbiechayi。yinweicicishiyanzhuyaozhenduishenglideweixie
，erbushixinlihuocaiwuweiji，kenenghuidaozhinanxingfanyingbinvxingjulie。”