Space Metaphor in the Representation of Concrete and Abstract Words: An Embodied Cognition Perspective

Abstract

Research on embodied cognition is becoming increasingly crucial as society develops. To study embodied spatial metaphor, this study examines the relationship between perceived distance and understanding of abstract and concrete words. Concrete words are usually considered to be relatively close to peoples lives, while abstract words are not. Thirty-five participants between the ages of 18 and 29 participated in the study. They were asked to make either concrete or abstract responses quickly and accurately to words displayed on a screen, where words were presented to be either distance or in close proximity to the participant. The response time for correct answers was recorded. The results show that the reaction time of the abstract words with a short distance is not significantly longer than that of the abstract words with a long distance, while the results of the concrete words are consistent. According to the results, it can conclude that there is no significant relationship between spatial metaphor and the nature of words.