文章大意:本文为一篇说明文。研究人员分析了美国劳工统计局和世界卫生组织等来源的公开数据,并调查了被调查者所分享的日常习惯、日程安排和互动,发现幸福和社会关系多样性之间存在联系,所以作者鼓励大家要多和陌生人交流。
A recent study by a group of researchers found that there is a link between happiness and a term that the researchers coined called “relational diversity.”
Using public data from sources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the World Health Organization, the researchers were able to analyze data sets and survey responses from people who had shared their daily habits, schedules and interactions. They noticed a clear relationship between relational diversity and overall levels of satisfaction.
Hanne Collins, a Harvard Business School doctoral student who co-authored the study, says that relational diversity is composed of two elements: richness and evenness.
Richness measures relationship categories, or how many kinds of people you interact with in a day. That could be your romantic partner, a family member, a neighbor or a stranger. “The more relationship categories they talk to in a day and the more even their conversations are across those categories, the happier they are. And we find this in a large sample across many countries,” Collins said.
Evenness relates to the distribution of conversations among those different relationship categories. Some people may find themselves interacting with colleagues at work more than, say, their family members. “If you have a few conversations with colleagues, a few with friends, a few with a romantic partner or a couple chats with strangers, thats going to be more even across these categories,” Collins explained.
Ultimately, Collins says, the study gives insight to the idea that humans are social creatures at heart. Having a support system is important, but it goes beyond your inner circle. “Its about this mix. Its about connecting with people who are close to you, who are maybe less close to you, who connect you with other people, who provide different kinds of support,” she said. “Essentially, the idea is that the more diverse your social portfolio (社交档案), the happier you are and the higher your well-being.”
Next time you consider striking up a conversation with a stranger in line at the grocery store or while waiting at the coffee shop, keep in mind that it might be beneficial to your well-being.
8. How does the author explain the term “relational diversity”?
A.By listing statistics. | B.By making comparison. |
C.By giving definitions and examples. | D.By describing the process. |
9. Who is the happiest according to the study?
A.A person who interacts most with his family members. |
B.A person who communicates frequently with his friends. |
C.A person who seldom strikes up conversations with strangers. |
D.A person who has ever conversations with many different people. |
10. Which of the statements about the study is true?
A.Researchers came up with a new concept. |
B.It shows that a support system is not necessary. |
C.Researchers collected data by conducting experiments. |
D.It was led by a doctoral student from Harvard Business School. |
11. What is the writers attitude towards the result of the study?
A.Neutral. | B.Skeptical. |
C.Opposed. | D.Approving. |