Representation of categories.
In the present study we investigated whether the mental representation of the concept categories is represented by the container image schema (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980). In two experiments participants decided whether two pictures were from the same category (animal or vehicle). Pictures were presented inside or outside a frame that should activate the container schema. We found that performance to pictures was influenced by the frame in congruence with the metaphorical mapping (same category—inside bounded region; different category—not in same bounded region). These results show that the concept categories is metaphorically represented by containers.
Boot
Inge
I
Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands. ingeboot@gmail.com
Pecher
Diane
D
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology