字神帝國英語天地

今日主題：This Algorithm Can Predict Relationship Trouble / 電腦程式預測夫妻關係準確率79%

洪欣老師推薦：托福聽力最好的課外教材：60-Second Science
康康精選托福會考的主題，堅持每天精聽一定會進步的哦!!

建議方法：
1. 先聽兩三遍 (不看文稿)
2. 再一句一句聽寫 (每句都要聽寫數遍，直到寫出85%以上的字)
3. 最後check文稿，看哪聽不出來，單字沒背過，還是發音不熟。
4. 堅持天天聽，就能每天進步哦。

MP3音檔 (按右鍵可下載聽)：喜歡的同學，幫忙推或按讚哦~~
http://online1.tingclass.net/voaspe/2016/20160708sa_tech.mp3

只有音檔怎夠，聽不懂地方，不用怕，康康幫你準備好中英文稿了：

中英文稿：
Watch your tone—because it turns out it really isn’t what you say—it's how you say it. At least when it comes to couples in couples counseling.

注意你的語氣，事實證明你說什麼不重要，而是在於你怎麼說。至少在心理諮詢時涉及到夫妻時。

That’s according to a study in Proceedings of Interspeech. [Md Nasir et al., Still Together?: The Role of Acoustic Features in Predicting Marital Outcome]

這是根據《Interspeech學報》上的一項研究。

Researchers developed a computer algorithm to gauge relationships between spouses based on their vocal patterns. Working with hundreds of recorded conversations from marriage therapy sessions collected over two years, the algorithm was able to predict whether a relationship was going to get better or worse with an accuracy of just under eighty percent.

研究人員研發出一種電腦演算法，根據他們的聲音模式來衡量夫妻之間的關係。通過採用在兩年多的時間裡所收集的婚姻治療會話的錄音，該演算法能夠預測一段關係將變得更好或惡化，其準確性接近80%。

How they did it? The recordings were divided by acoustic features that used speech processing techniques to track pitch and voice warble and intensity.
These clips from the researcher’s training video illustrate psychological states that characterize distressed relationships. This one, for example, shows “negative affect” and “reactivity” – behaviors that relationship experts believe are troublesome.

他們是如何做到的？使用語音處理技術來追蹤語調的起伏、顫動、強度，根據這些聲學特徵對錄音進行劃分。研究人員們的這些培訓視頻片斷表明不良關係的心理狀態。例如這個案例：表明“消極情感”及其“反應”——婚姻問題專家認為這些行為表示出現問題。

Female: And I want you to just come home at a more reasonable time rather than you know walking in the door at 11. Male: I just don’t think you understand just how much I have to do, what my work entails. Female: Well, what is there to understand?

女士：我希望你能在一個更合理的時間回家，而不是你知道在11點時進家門。男士：我只是認為你不明白我要做多少事情，我的工作需要。女士：好吧！這還有什麼需要理解的？

The counseling sessions were also tested against behavioral analyses with codes for positives such as “acceptance” and the negatives such as “blame.” Using only that more standardized research method wasn’t as predictable as listening to the vocal expressions. 

這些諮詢會話也同樣進行了行為分析測試，並使用如“接納”類的積極詞語和“責備”類的消極詞語進行編碼。只採用這種標準化的研究方法並不像聽聲音所表現出來的更加有可預見性。

Now, these examples are negative as the researchers focused on distressed relationship dynamics. One could imagine the algorithms may also work the same way when looking at positive vocal patterns. Because even married couples sometimes say nice things to each other.

目前，由於研究者們關注有問題關係的動態，因此這些例子都是負面的。人們可以想像這個演算法也可以採用同樣的方式處理積極聲音模式。因為即便是已婚夫妻有時也會互相說說對方的好話。