Strong emotional bonds between mothers and infants increase children’s willingness to explore the world—an effect that has been observed【C1】___the animal kingdom, in people, monkeys and even spiders. The more secure we are in our【C2】to Mom, the more likely we are to try new things and take risks. Now researchers are discovering that this effect continues into adulthood. A【C3】reminder of Mom’s touch or the sound of her voice on the phone is【C4】to change people’s minds and moods,【C5】___their decision making in measurable ways.

In a study【C6】___online in April in Psychological Science, undergraduate business students had to choose between safe bets and risky gambles—a bond with a guaranteed 4 percent yearly【C7】or a riskier stock option, for example. In half the cases, the experimenters patted the students【C8】on the back of the shoulder for about one second【C9】providing verbal (口头的) instructions about the study. Both male and female students who were touched by a female experimenter were【C10】more likely to choose the risky alternative【C11】were those who had not been touched or were patted by male experimenters. The reassuring (宽慰的) touch of a woman may have induced early associations,【C12】the same openness to exploration that is observed in young children of【C13】___mothers, explains Jonathan Levav, a business professor at Columbia University and lead author of the study.

To further【C14】___that a woman’s touch links feelings of security【C15】risk taking, the researchers asked a【C16】group of undergraduates to make financial decisions after a writing exercise. Half of them wrote about a time they felt secure and supported, whereas the【C17】half wrote about feeling insecure and alone. Evoking (唤起) a【C18】of insecurity made students in the latter group【C19】receptive to the gentle shoulder pats from female experimenters and much more willing to take a risk—just as a child leaving for a field trip might steal one last reassuring hug【C20】___Mom before stepping on the bus.

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