谈论自己的感觉真是太美妙了。哈佛大学神经系统学家们做了一系列实验，结果显示，我们大脑的“奖励区”──也就是对食物和性等“主要奖励”做出反应的区域──在我们谈论自己的时候会被激活。

　　We devote between 30 to 40 percent of our conversation time to doing just that, according to the study, which did not focus on boasting specifically but on sharing things about ourselves.

　　该研究表明，我们30%到40%的谈话时间都花在自己身上了。该研究关注的并非自夸炫耀而是与他人分享自我。

　　Unfortunately, Bernstein says, some people cannot seem to tell the difference between sharing positive information that others might actually want to know and downright bragging. She suggests that bragging involves comparison, whether stated or implied. So you might want to refrain from discussing college courses with your former primary school classmate who failed to get into college.

　　伯恩斯坦指出，遗憾的是，有些人好像分不清分享其他人想知道的正面信息和大肆炫耀的区别。她认为，炫耀涉及到了与他人比较，有的直截了当，有的暗含其中。因此，在同没能升入大学的小学同学交谈时，你或许会可以避免触及有关大学课程方面的话题。

　　So, how do you deal with an obnoxious braggart?

　　那么，如何对待一个令人生厌的大话精呢?

　　“Feel sorry for them, because they’re doing this impulsive, destructive thing that won’t help them in the long run,” Simine Vazire, a research psychologist and associate professor at Washington University, said according to the column. Research on self-enhancement shows that people who brag make a good first impression, but the effect diminishes over time.

　　该文章还提到了华盛顿大学研究心理学家斯明•瓦兹副教授的原话：“我很为他们感到惋惜，因为从长远来看，他们这种冲动有害的做法不会有好处。”对自我提升的研究表明，大话王给人的第一印象不错，但随着时间推移，这种好印象会渐渐消退。