We touch our faces all the time. Yet， stopping this “simple” behavior might be harder than you think because its already hardwired into our system.

我们总是在用手摸脸，然而，不做这个“简单”的动作或许比你想象中要难，因为这个动作早已固定存在于身体系统之中。

Some face touching is an automatic reflex—like when there is an itch on your nose， youll scratch it without thinking. A study found that touching your face also helps to reduce stress and regulate emotions. For example， youre more likely to do it when you feel awkward or embarrassed. According to Dacher Keltner， a psychologist at the University of California Berkeley， US， this action may also come with a social function. When you are talking to someone and want to change the subject， for example， touching your face is like “the curtains on a stage， closing up one act of the social drama， ushering in the next，” Keltner told the BBC.

一些人摸臉的动作是自然反射行为——比如，当你觉得鼻子有点痒时，你就会不自觉地去挠一挠。一项研究发现，摸脸也有助于减少压力、调节情绪。比如，你在感到尴尬不安时，往往更容易做这个动作。美国加州大学伯克利分校的心理学家达契尔·凯尔特纳认为，这个动作或许也具备社交功能。比如，你在和某人交谈时想要换个话题，摸脸的动作就像是“舞台上的幕布落下，社交戏剧的一幕结束，即将开始下一幕”， 凯尔特纳在接受英国广播公司采访时如此表示。

Moreover， face touching in almost all of these occasions is subconscious， which means its very hard to change because you dont even know youre doing it.

此外，摸脸的动作在上述的所有场合中几乎都是无意识的，意味着这点很难改，因为你甚至都没发觉自己在做这个动作。

But youre not alone. In a 2015 study， where a group of medical students were filmed in class， it was found that they touched their faces an average of 23 times an hour—with 44 percent of the touches being in the “T-zones”. That was particularly surprising since medical students were supposed to know better.

但会这么做的并非只有你一人。2015年的一项研究记录了班级中一组医学生的行为，发现医学生们平均每小时摸脸23次——其中有44%的人触碰了“T区”。这一发现令人尤感意外，因为医学生们理应有着更好的卫生常识。

Since its so hard to shake the habit， we should wash our hands more often.

既然这个习惯很难改正，我们应该更加频繁地洗手。

Word Study

automatic /'??t?'m?t?k/ adj. 自动的;无意识的

Breathing is an automatic function of the body.

emotion /?'m???n/ n. 强烈的感情;情绪

He lost control of his emotions.

usher /'???（r）/ v. 把……引往;引领

The secretary ushered me into his office.