Suggestion: metaphor and meaning

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Linguistics
• History of Science

Background:

• The late 19th century in France saw the rise of social psychology.
• Metaphorical language played a significant role in shaping early psychological theories.

Observation:

• The paper analyzes the origins and development of the "suggestion" metaphor.
• It identifies specific characteristics of this metaphor within its historical context.

Findings:

• A network of meanings from hypnosis was applied to crowd behavior.
• Gustave Le Bon's work was pivotal in this metaphorical transfer.

Implications:

• Metaphorical discourse reveals the early focus of social psychology on interpersonal influence.
• Understanding these historical metaphors offers insight into the evolution of social science concepts.