If you want to convince the boss you deserve a pay rise or promotion¹, the solution could be simple – eat the same food they do.

如果你想说服老板给你加薪或升职，很简单，老板吃什么，你就跟着吃什么。

Psychologists have discovered managers - and even total strangers - are much more likely to instantly trust us if we choose the same dishes as them.

心理学家发现，和经理们（乃至陌生人）吃同样食物的人更容易即刻获得他们的信任。

During experiments, discussions over wages and work conditions were much more successful if both sides chose to snack on the same treats.

在实验中，若交谈双方所吃食物相同，那么有关工资及工作环境的讨论更可能获得成功。

And shoppers were much more likely to buy a product advertised on TV by someone eating a similar food to them at the time.

如果电视购物推销员所吃食物类似于观众正在吃的东西，那么观众更有可能购买他们的产品。

The reason is thought to be so-called similarity attraction theory – where people tend to like others who have similar tastes or habits to themselves.

所谓的相似相吸理论可以解释这些现象，该理论认为人们更喜欢那些品味或习惯相似的人。

But this is believed to be one of the first studies highlighting the role of food in this relationship.

这项研究据认为是指出食物影响信任关系的首批研究之一。

Researchers at Chicago University in the US conducted a series of experiments to examine food’s role in earning trust.

为探寻食物对赢得信任的影响，美国芝加哥大学的研究人员进行了一系列实验。

In one, volunteers played the part of either manager or union leader trying to reach a wage settlement and end a strike.

在第一个实验中，志愿者们或扮演经理，或扮演工会负责人，双方试图就工资标准达成一致，并解决罢工问题。

Each player scored points according to how few offers it took to reach a deal on hourly wages – since the goal for both sides was settle the strike.

确定时薪标准前，双方交涉次数的多少决定了参与者的分数——因为他们的谈判目的在于解决罢工问题。

The volunteers were all given a choice of chocolate bars or crisps to snack on.

谈判时，志愿者可以吃巧克力棒或薯片。

The results, in the Journal of Consumer Psychology², showed more points were scored – and deals reached more quickly – when both sides snacked on the same sweet or salty treats.

发表在《消费者心理学》期刊上的研究结果显示：若谈判双方同吃甜食或咸食，则交涉次数更少，参与者得分更高。

In a report on the results researchers said: ‘We found when negotiators consumed similarly, they felt closer and were able to come to a faster resolution beneficial for both parties.’

研究人员在实验结果报告中称：“我们发现谈判双方同吃一种食物时，更易亲近对方，同时也能更快达成双赢的结果。”

In a second test, participants were told to watch TV testimonials – where someone pretending to be a member of the public endorsed³ a certain product.

在第二个实验中，参与者需要观看电视上的推荐节目，某个假扮普通民众的人会向他们推荐某产品。

The volunteers were given Kit⁴ Kat bars to nibble⁵, while the TV person ate either a Kit Kat or grapes as they talked.

志愿者们一边看电视，一边小口吃奇巧巧克力棒，而推荐人在说话时或吃奇巧巧克力棒，或吃葡萄。

Tests showed viewers were much more likely to express an interest in buying the product if the TV showed the other person eating a Kit Kat too.

实验显示，志愿者在推荐人吃巧克力棒时，更愿意购买产品。

The researchers added: ‘Although similarity in food consumption is not indicative of whether two people will get along, we find consumers treat this as such.

研究人员补充说：“尽管食物消费方面的相似性并非二人能和睦相处的标志，但我们发现消费者的想法如下：

‘They feel more trusting of those who consume as they do.

“他们觉得吃同一种东西的人更值得信任。

‘It means people can immediately begin to feel camaraderie⁶ and develop a bond, leading to smoother transactions from the start.’

“这意味着他们会马上将对方视为同类，并与之建立联系，于是交易从一开始就变得更加顺利。”

Harley Street psychologist Dr Lucy Atcheson said it was already known that wearing similar clothes could instantly evoke⁷ trust. But this was the first report that food had the same effect.

哈利街的心理学博士露西·艾奇逊说，我们早就知道穿相似的衣服会让双方瞬间产生信任感，但见到证明食物也会带来相同效果的报告还是头一次。

She said: ‘This is really interesting.

她说：“这个实验真的很有趣。

‘It makes sense as people feel they have common ground and can trust the other person.

“它让人们觉得彼此间有共同之处，因而他们可以信任对方。

‘That means negotiations⁸ are more likely to be successful.’

“这意味着谈判更容易达成一致。”