Think back to an occasion when you were forced to work, or do anything constructive¹ or collaborative, in excessive heat. Chances are you probably weren’t your best, most other-oriented, generous-of-spirit self.

回想一下自己上一次在酷暑难耐的时候还被迫工作，或者做任何有意义的，与他人合作的事情。很有可能，你表现得不尽完美，不能为他人着想，也不够慷慨大方。

Psychologists have proposed that an uncomfortably warm environment makes people less helpful and friendly. Now, a study from a management professor Liuba Belkin seems to have established that elevated ambient temperatures do reduce prosocial behaviors, and may explain why, too.

心理学家认为，过于温暖的环境会让人不尽友好，也不愿意帮助别人。如今，一位名叫Liuba Belkin 的管理学教授的研究证明，过高的环境温度的确会减少人的亲社会行为，同时他还解释了其中的缘由。

Excessive heat hurts customer service

过高的温度挫伤了服务热情

Belkin believes excessive heat was the main reason clerks stopped being as helpful. Just thinking about being warm led subjects to feel more fatigued², which put them in less-than-cheerful moods. Elevated moods tend to drive social, friendly behavior, Belkin said.

Belkin教授相信，过高的温度是服务业职员的服务热情消退的主要原因。仅仅想到天气炎热就足以让人感觉疲劳，从而让人产生不够积极的情绪。Belkin教授指出，积极的情绪能促使人做出亲社会、友好的举动。

Too cold is better than too hot

严寒比酷暑要好

Belkin adds, research from a 2012 lab experiment shows people were more customer-oriented when they were working in comfortably cold, but not comfortably warm, temperatures. The authors of that study speculated that in colder temperatures, people look for opportunities to form social connections as a way to feel literally³ warmer.

Belkin教授还称，一项2012年的实验室研究证明，当人们在相对较冷的舒适环境中工作时，他们更愿意面对客户，而在较热的环境中则不尽然。这项研究的作者推测，在较冷的环境中，人们会寻找机会构建社会联系，借此抱团取暖。

When the ambient temperature is too balmy, says Belkin, managers ought to look for interventions⁴ that will boost morale⁵ and well-being⁶, since higher spirits can act as a buffer⁷ against the otherwise inevitable⁸ loss of interest in helping⁹ others.

Belkin教授称，当环境温度过高时，管理者应该寻找转移职员注意力的方法，以此鼓舞职员势气，营造友好的氛围。合作行为的减少将致使利润降低，积极的工作情绪则可以减少这种损失。