The Metaphor Framing Effect

Metaphorical Reasoning About Text-Based Dilemmas

Bibliographic Data

ID11273648
AuthorsShani Robins (corresponding author), Richard E Mayer (0000-0003-4055-6938)
Year2000
Volume30
Issue1
Pages57-86
Publication date2000-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDiscourse Processes (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0163-853X • E-ISSN: 1532-6950
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1207/s15326950dp3001_03
OpenAlexW2076595175
LanguageEN
Citations received39
References cited24

We investigated the idea that people use metaphor to help make sense of text-based vignettes about everyday dilemmas. First, we found evidence for the metaphor framing hypothesis across 6 experiments in which framing descriptions of dilemmas within various metaphor frames influenced reasoners' decisions about how to resolve the dilemmas. Second, we found evidence for the metaphor processing termination hypothesis across 3 experiments: When a metaphor was not necessary to increase understanding of a dilemma or when it actually increased ambiguity, the metaphor framing effect was attenuated. In particular, when the vignette contained or primed knowledge that could be used to understand the vignette, reasoners were less likely to make decisions consistent with the metaphor, were less likely to rate the metaphor as apt, and were less likely to choose metaphor-consistent responses on a subsequent verbal analogy test. Results are consistent with a constructivist theory of text comprehension, which specifies the conditions under which learners use metaphor to make sense of text vignettes

Ambiguity · Analogy · Cognitive psychology · Comprehension · Conceptual metaphor · Dilemma · Epistemology · Framing (construction · Framing effect · Linguistics · Literal and figurative language · Metaphor · Persuasion · Vignette · Action Observation and Synchronization · Child and Animal Learning Development · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology

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