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The effect of the brightness metaphor on memory
Shijia Zhang1,2, Jianhong Zheng3, Lei Mo4,5
1Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou, China.
Psychological Research
|October 24, 2021
Summary
Moral concepts enhance long-term memory brightness, not perception or working memory. This finding supports the non-unidirectionality of metaphor, extending conceptual metaphor theory through long-term memory mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Metaphor Theory
- Memory Studies
Background:
- Brightness-based metaphors, such as 'moral content makes perception brighter,' are well-documented.
- Existing research primarily focuses on the impact of these metaphors on perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of the moral brightness metaphor on perception, working memory, and long-term memory.
- To extend the brightness-morality link to brightness-positivity concepts.
- To explore the role of long-term memory in metaphoric enhancement.
Main Methods:
- Five experiments involving college students.
- Presentation of moral/immoral and positive/negative pictures with varying brightness levels.
- Participants reconstructed perceived picture brightness using a keyboard interface.
Main Results:
- The brightness metaphor significantly increased brightness in long-term memory.
- No significant effect of the brightness metaphor was found in perception or working memory.
- Results support the link between brightness and positive concepts.
Conclusions:
- Metaphorical effects are not always unidirectional and can be modulated by cognitive mechanisms.
- Long-term memory plays a crucial role in enhancing conceptual metaphor effects.
- Findings extend conceptual metaphor theory and simulating sensorimotor metaphor theory.
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