值的深思

破窗效應

                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
心理學的研究上有個現象叫做「破窗效應」，                                  
                                                                           
就是說，一個房子如果窗戶破了，                                            
                                                                           
沒有人去修補，隔不久，其它的窗戶也會莫名其妙的被人打破；                  
                                                                           
一面牆，如果出現一些塗鴉沒有清洗掉，                                      
                                                                           
很快的，牆上就佈滿了亂七八糟，不堪入目的東西。                            
                                                                           
一個很乾淨的地方，人會不好意思丟垃圾，                                    
                                                                           
但是一旦地上有垃圾出現之後，人就會毫不猶疑的拋，絲毫不覺羞愧。            
                                                                           
這真是很奇怪的現象。                                                      
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
心理學家研究的就是這個「引爆點」，                                        
                                                                           
地上究竟要有多髒，人們才會覺得反正這麼髒，再髒一點無所謂，                
                                                                           
情況究竟要壞到什麼程度，人們才會自暴自棄，讓它爛到底。                    
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
台北市在未推行垃圾不落地時，                                              
                                                                           
街口轉角若有一包垃圾在地上，不出二個小時，那個地方就堆成垃圾山了。        
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
我每次看到這種情形都想起古人說的：「毋以惡小而為之」，                    
                                                                           
一點小壞事，覺得沒有什麼關係，                                            
                                                                           
但是開始做了以後，它就改變你的心態，使你以後敢去作姦犯科。                
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
任何壞事，如果在開始時沒有阻攔掉，形成風氣，改也改不掉，                  
                                                                           
就好像河堤，一個小缺口沒有及時修補，可以崩壩，造成千百萬倍的損失。        
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
犯罪其實就是失序的結果，                                                  
                                                                           
紐約市在80年代的時候，真是無處不搶，無日不殺，                            
                                                                           
大白天走在馬路上也會害怕。                                                
                                                                           
地鐵更不用說了，車廂髒亂，到處塗滿了穢句，坐在地鐵裡，人人自危。          
                                                                           

我雖然沒有被搶過，但是有位教授被人在光天化日之下，敲了一記悶棍，眼睛失明，
                                                                           
從此結束他的研究生涯，使我多少年來談虎變色，不敢隻身去紐約開會。          
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
最近紐約的市容和市譽提升了不少，令我頗為吃驚，                            
                                                                           
一個已經向下沈淪的城市，竟能死而復生，向上提昇。                          
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
因此，當我出去開會，碰到一位犯罪學家時，立刻向他討教，                    
                                                                           
原來紐約市用的就是過去書本上講的破窗效應的理論，                          
                                                                           
先改善犯罪的環境，使人們不易犯罪，再慢慢緝兇捕盜，回歸秩序。              
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
當時這個做法雖然被人罵為緩不濟急，「船都要沈了還在洗甲板」，              
                                                                           
但是紐約市還是從維護地鐵車廂乾淨著手，                                    
                                                                           
並將不買車票白搭車的人用手銬銬住排成一列站在月台上，                      
                                                                           
公開向民眾宣示政府整頓的決心，結果發現非常有效。                          
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
警察發現人們果然比較不會在乾淨的場合犯罪，又發現抓逃票很有收穫，          
                                                                           
因為每七名逃票的人中就有一名是通緝犯，二十名中就有一名攜帶武器，          
                                                                           
因此警察願意很認真地去抓逃票，這使得歹徒不敢逃票，出門不敢帶武器，        
                                                                           
以免得不償失、因小失大。                                                  
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
這樣紐約市就從最小、最容易的地方著手，                                    
                                                                           
打破了犯罪環結(chain)，使這個惡性循環無法繼續下去。                       
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
最近，我看到台北市開始在街頭巷尾種花，我覺得很高興。                      
                                                                           

荷蘭就是這樣開始的，但願不久台北的市容也能像歐洲一樣「春城無處不飛花」。  
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
                                                                           
作者：洪蘭                                                                
國立陽明大學教授(認知神經科學實驗室)                                      
                                                                           
                                                                           
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