Priming the Comprehension of Metaphors

Abstract

A series of experiments examined the comprehension of metaphors such as "TIME IS MONEY." The task of Experiments 1 to 3 required participants to decide whether two sequentially presented sentences were related. Reaction time latencies to read and respond to the second sentence of each sequence were analyzed for different types of initial sentences. In Experiment 1, the initial sentence in each sequence was either a superordinate metaphor ("TIME IS MONEY"), a tautology (TIME IS TIME), or a contrasting superordinate metaphor ("TIME IS A RACE"); the second sentence in each sequence was a metaphor instantiating the superordinate metaphor ("HE SPENT HIS TIME FOOLISHLY"). In Experiment 2, the superordinate metaphor ("TIME IS MONEY"), its topic (time), its vehicle (money), or a different superordinate metaphor formed by reversing the topic and vehicle ("MONEY IS TIME") preceded the metaphor ("He spent his time foolishly"). In Experiment 3, the metaphor ("He spent his time foolishly") followed either a metaphor instantiating the same superordinate metaphor ("HE WASTED THE OPPORTUNITY"), a literal expression (He ignored the opportunity), or a metaphor instantiating a contrasting superordinate metaphor ("He jumped the gun"). Experiments 4 and 5 replicated Experiments 2 and 3, respectively, using a sentence-reading task. The results indicate that superordinate metaphors, their vehicles, and metaphors instantiating the same superordinate metaphors facilitate comprehension of metaphors. Conversely, contrasting superordinate metaphors, topic-vehicle reversals, and metaphors instantiating contrasting superordinate metaphors interfere with metaphor comprehension.