Metaphor comprehension: A critical review of theories and evidence.

Abstract

We review psychological research bearing on major theories of metaphor comprehension. A broad survey of behavioral studies is coupled with findings from recent meta-analyses of neuroimaging studies of metaphor processing. We identify three broad theoretical positions that have been the foci of research efforts: analogy, categorization, and conceptual mapping. The first two of these emphasize relatively well-specified information-processing models; the third links metaphor comprehension to embodied cognition. Our review evaluates the evidence that has been taken as support for each view, and then critically examines studies that bear on competing hypotheses derived from opposing theories. Finally, we discuss issues that future research on metaphor should address. In particular, we call for greater consideration of the pragmatic functions of metaphor in context, of its emotional impact, and of its links to literary interpretation. We suggest ways in which mechanisms based on analogy and conceptual combination might be integrated to create a richer conception of metaphor understanding. (PsycINFO Database Record

The role of metaphor in communication and thought

“…Looking ahead, we join others who have called attention to the complex and dynamic nature of metaphorical language and thought (Gibbs & Colston, ; Holyoak & Stamenković, ), and we encourage researchers to embrace this complexity rather than ignore it. Future research should continue to disentangle the intricate web of cognitive, affective, and social‐pragmatic factors that shape how people use, process, and respond to metaphors in everyday communication.…”

“…The prevalence and utility of war as a metaphorical source domain would therefore seem to rest on factors above and beyond the more physical aspects of embodied experience (Flusberg, Matlock, & Thibodeau, ; see also Casasanto & Gijssels, ). More generally, the initial formulation of CMT provides few details about the cognitive processes involved in metaphorical mapping (e.g., Holyoak & Stamenković, ; Lakens, ; McGlone, ; Murphy, ). There are, however, several process models of analogy, categorization, and metaphor comprehension that are compatible with the basic ideas of CMT without committing to the stronger claims about embodiment and active conceptual mappings (e.g., Falkenhainer, Forbus, & Gentner, ; Kintsch, ).…”

“…However, this affective component of metaphor has not received nearly as much attention as the cognitive mechanisms that support metaphor processing (Holyoak & Stamenković, ). Future research is needed to illuminate when, why, and how emotional valence and arousal moderate the power of metaphor.…”

“…In place of the term “target,” scholars sometimes use “tenor” and “topic”; in place of the word “source,” scholars sometimes use “base” or “vehicle” (e.g., Black, ; Gentner & Wolff, ; Holyoak & Stamenković, ; Richards, ).…”

The Town Square in Your Pocket: Exploring Four Metaphors of Social Media

“…In this paper we turn to metaphor as a means to counter this desensitisation and obtain a degree of objectivity about the underlying logic of social media use. As a linguistic and conceptual tool, metaphor has served, across the ages, as a powerful instigator of critical thinking in multiple domains [15]. Its value was emphasised by Aristotle who described its command as the mark of genius [15] and, in recent times, a substantial body of theoretical work and psychological studies directed at the process of metaphor comprehension has emerged [15, p. 641].…”