The “Good is Up” metaphoric effects on recognition: True for source guessing but false for item memory

Jin, Zixi ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1567-2016 2021. The “Good is Up” metaphoric effects on recognition: True for source guessing but false for item memory. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Embodied cognition is of great interest in the development of cognitive science which emphasizes the role of the body’s interaction with the world in cognition. Within this field, some researchers suggest that metaphoric associations of abstract concepts with concrete concepts can influence relevant cognitive processes. For example, the “good is up” metaphor which links valence and verticality concepts was found to facilitate affective judgement and attention directing processes when the stimuli were presented at metaphor-congruent locations (Meier & Robinson, 2004). Meanwhile, the metaphoric effects on memory performance remain unclear with contradictory research findings. The primary aim of this research was to investigate the metaphoric effects on recognition processes. The source monitoring paradigm was applied in order to provide a more accurate estimation of item memory performance, and to assess source guessing biases at the same time. Across the first 5 experiments, a consistent result pattern showed that the metaphor is effective to guide participants’ guessing of source location with metaphor-congruent biases when one is unable to recall source information. However, the metaphor is not effective to differentiate item memory performance of valenced stimuli learned from metaphor-congruent or incongruent locations. Two follow-up experiments were conducted which intended to replicate Meier & Robinson’s (2004) original findings of metaphor-congruent facilitation effects, but failed to demonstrate the same effects. Altogether, this thesis suggests that the “good is up” metaphor may be effective in cognition but in a more subtle way than one could expect based on previous literature. Despite the failed replications, the series of experiments is informative and provides useful insights for investigations on this metaphor. Future research on this metaphor topic is promising to altogether provide more reliable and conclusive suggestions

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	23 December 2021
Last Modified:	20 Dec 2022 02:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/146231

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