Does Extroversion Mean Being Outside? The Connection Between Introverted and Extroverted Personality Concepts and Container Metaphors

Bibliographic Data

ID19469801
AuthorsFan Yang (0000-0003-2978-7102, Chongqing Normal University), Hongsen Shi (0009-0003-4139-0615, Chongqing Normal University), Weirui Xiong (0009-0003-0694-3122, Chongqing Normal University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume41
Issue2
Pages212-226
Publication date2026-04-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMetaphor and Symbol (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1092-6488 • E-ISSN: 1532-7868
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/10926488.2025.2603213
OpenAlexW7147254401
LanguageEN
References cited39

From the perspective of embodied metaphor, individuals often subconsciously materialize abstract concepts as concrete and perceptible container images, and then build a cognitive bridge to understand abstract concepts by relying on the internal or external orientation attributes of entities located in the container. In order to reveal the potential metaphorical thinking mechanism in the process of human cognition of the concepts of introversion/extroversion personality, this study explores the connection and mapping between the concepts of introversion and extroversion personality and the metaphor inside/outside the container through three experiments. Experiment 1 adopted the Spatial Stroop Paradigm, while Experiments 2 and 3 both adopted the Semantic Priming Paradigm. The results show that, in the Spatial Stroop Paradigm, there was a metaphorical link between the introverted and extroverted personality concepts and the metaphors of the insides and outsides of containers. In the Semantic Priming Paradigm, there was a strong metaphorical interaction between the introverted and extroverted personality concepts and the metaphors of being inside or outside the container. Additionally, the results indicate that there is a metaphorical link between the introverted and extroverted personality concepts and the metaphors of the insides and outsides of containers, and this metaphorical link is bi-directional in the mapping relationship

Connection (principal bundle) · Container (type theory) · Extraversion and introversion · Personality · Well-being · Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics · Language, Metaphor, and Cognition · Social Representations and Identity

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