The Metaphorical Association Between Valence and Space Influences Emotional Word Learning in Adults and Children

doi:10.12139/j.1672-0628.2022.02.002

Abstract

Abstract: The metaphorical association between emotional valence and directed spatial actions is associated either with improving or impairing memory, and people can learn materials better when they use metaphor-congruent spatial actions. The present study explored whether metaphor-congruent spatial actions improve Chinese adults’ and children’s foreign emotional word learning. Participants learned ltalian or English words from flashcards during the learning phase. After learning each card, participants placed it on the top (or middle or bottom) of the shelf according to its valence. In the testing phase, participants chose the correct Chinese meaning of the foreign word from two options. The result in the word recognition task showed that the reaction times of the metaphor-congruent group were faster than the metaphor-incongruent group when they were similar in accuracy. Future research may focus on the neural basis and application of metaphor-congruent spatial actions in language learning.

Key words: spatial metaphor, spatial action, emotional valence, foreign emotional words, children

摘要： 为探究情绪效价与空间动作的隐喻联结如何影响中国成人及学龄前和学龄初期儿童对外语情绪词的学习，要求被试在学习阶段根据情绪效价将新学习的实体外语词卡放在对应空间位置。测试阶段采用二选一迫选任务，记录新词学习的反应时和正确率。结果显示，无论是成人组还是儿童组被试，隐喻一致组在测试阶段中对所学外语词的再认反应时均快于隐喻不一致组和控制组。研究表明，成人和学龄前和学龄初期儿童均存在情绪效价–空间动作隐喻联结的心理表征，并且该联结可以影响成人及学龄前和学龄初期儿童外语情绪词学习效果。

关键词: 空间隐喻, 身体动作, 情绪效价, 外语情绪词, 儿童

CLC Number:

B842

ZHAO Siyi, LI Ying, WANG Yue. The Metaphorical Association Between Valence and Space Influences Emotional Word Learning in Adults and Children[J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(2): 153-159.

赵思怡, 李莹, 王悦. 情绪效价−空间动作隐喻联结对成人和儿童外语情绪词学习的影响[J]. 心理与行为研究, 2022, 20(2): 153-159.

References

白亚停, 何文广. (2021). 二语具身认知: 自动激活还是母语中介. 心理科学进展, 29(11), 1970–1978
李莹, 张灿, 王悦. (2019). 道德情绪在道德隐喻映射中的作用及其神经机制. 心理科学进展, 27(7), 1224–1231
王辉, 李广政. (2021). 儿童手势及其与学习的关系. 心理科学进展, 29(9), 1617–1627
殷融, 苏得权, 叶浩生. (2013). 具身认知视角下的概念隐喻理论. 心理科学进展, 21(2), 220–234
翟冬雪, 鲁雅乔, 鲁忠义. (2016). 儿童道德概念垂直空间隐喻的认知发展. 心理科学, 39(5), 1171–1176
张积家, 崔占玲. (2008). 藏-汉-英双语者字词识别中的语码切换及其代价. 心理学报, 40(2), 136–147
张旭亚, 殷世东. (2020). 中小学生具身学习: 观点、谱系、原则与案例. 福建教育学院学报, 21(12), 1–5, doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-9884.2020.12.002
Barnes, M. A., Smith-Chant, B., & Landry, S. H. (2005). Number processing in neurodevelopmental disorders: Spina bifida myelomeningocele. In J. I. D. Campbell (Ed.), Handbook of mathematical cognition (pp. 299–313). New York: Psychology Press.
Berenhaus, M., Oakhill, J., & Rusted, J. (2015). When kids act out: A comparison of embodied methods to improve children’s memory for a story. Journal of Research in Reading, 38(4), 331–343, doi: 10.1111/1467-9817.12039.
Casasanto, D., & de Bruin, A. (2019). Metaphors we learn by: Directed motor action improves word learning. Cognition, 182, 177–183, doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2018.09.015.
Casasanto, D., & Dijkstra, K. (2010). Motor action and emotional memory. Cognition, 115(1), 179–185, doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2009.11.002.
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A. G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G*Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39(2), 175–191, doi: 10.3758/BF03193146.
Globig, L. K., Hartmann, M., & Martarelli, C. S. (2019). Vertical head movements influence memory performance for words with emotional content. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 672, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00672.
Gottwald, J. M., Elsner, B., & Pollatos, O. (2015). Good is up—Spatial metaphors in action observation. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1605.
Harpaintner, M., Sim, E. J., Trumpp, N. M., Ulrich, M., & Kiefer, M. (2020). The grounding of abstract concepts in the motor and visual system: An fMRI study. Cortex, 124, 1–22, doi: 10.1016/j.cortex.2019.10.014.
Henetz, T., & Casasanto, D. (2009). Emergence of spatial metaphor in children. In Proceedings of the 31st annual conference of the cognitive science society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science.
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors we live by. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1999). Philosophy in the flesh: The embodied mind and its challenges to western thought. New York: Basic Books.
Mavilidi, M. F., Okely, A. D., Chandler, P., Cliff, D. P., & Paas, F. (2015). Effects of integrated physical exercises and gestures on preschool children’s foreign language vocabulary learning. Educational Psychology Review, 27(3), 413–426, doi: 10.1007/s10648-015-9337-z.
Meier, B. P., & Robinson, M. D. (2004). Why the sunny side is up: Associations between affect and vertical position. Psychological Science, 15(4), 243–247, doi: 10.1111/j.0956-7976.2004.00659.x.
Monaco, E., Jost, L. B., Gygax, P. M., & Annoni, J. M. (2019). Embodied semantics in a second language: Critical review and clinical implications. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13, 110, doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2019.00110.
Riskind, J. H. (1983). Nonverbal expressions and the accessibility of life experience memories: A congruence hypothesis. Social Cognition, 2(1), 62–86, doi: 10.1521/soco.1983.2.1.62.
Rueschemeyer, S. A., Pfeiffer, C., & Bekkering, H. (2010). Body schematics: On the role of the body schema in embodied lexical-semantic representations. Neuropsychologia, 48(3), 774–781, doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.09.019.
Sheikh, N. A., & Titone, D. (2016). The embodiment of emotional words in a second language: An eye-movement study. Cognition and Emotion, 30(3), 488–500, doi: 10.1080/02699931.2015.1018144.
Starr, A., Cirolia, A. J., Tillman, K. A., & Srinivasan, M. (2021). Spatial metaphor facilitates word learning. Child Development, 92(3), e329–e342.
Stepper, S., & Strack, F. (1993). Proprioceptive determinants of emotional and nonemotional feelings. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 64(2), 211–220, doi: 10.1037/0022-3514.64.2.211.
Toumpaniari, K., Loyens, S., Mavilidi, M. F., & Paas, F. (2015). Preschool children’s foreign language vocabulary learning by embodying words through physical activity and gesturing. Educational Psychology Review, 27(3), 445–456, doi: 10.1007/s10648-015-9316-4.
Tracy, J. L., & Matsumoto, D. (2008). The spontaneous expression of pride and shame: Evidence for biologically innate nonverbal displays. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(33), 11655–11660, doi: 10.1073/pnas.0802686105.
van Dam, W. O., Speed, L. J., Lai, V. T., Vigliocco, G., & Desai, R. H. (2017). Effects of motion speed in action representations. Brain and Language, 168, 47–56, doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2017.01.003.
Willems, R. M., Labruna, L., D’Esposito, M., Ivry, R., & Casasanto, D. (2011). A functional role for the motor system in language understanding: Evidence from theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation. Psychological Science, 22(7), 849–854, doi: 10.1177/0956797611412387.

[1]	JIANG Yingying, MA Li, ZHANG Lijin, ZHU Liqi. A Serial Mediation Model Between Number of Children and Life Satisfaction of Chinese Mothers of Childbearing Age [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(5): 651-656.
[2]	ZHAO Jinxia, GONG Xuxia. The Relationship Between Mother-Child Attachment and Rural Children’s Anxiety: The Moderating Role of HPA Activity [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(5): 665-671.
[3]	YU Yibing, YU Jiawei, LI Yanru, DU Yizhan. Cross-Lagged Analysis of Perceived Family Support, Friend Support and Depressive Symptoms Among Children Left-Behind in Rural Areas [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(4): 472-478.
[4]	TAN Deqin, XIE Ruibo, DING Wan, WU Wei, SONG Shengcheng, LI Weijian. The Influence of Parent-Child Attachment and Teacher-Student Relationship on Left-Behind Children’s Internalizing Problems: The Mediating Role of Peer Attachment [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(3): 339-345.
[5]	LI Xiaomei, JIANG Yingjie, YU Mingyang, YUAN Yuan, LIU Fangfang. Left-Behind Children’s Psychological Maltreatment and Aggressive Behavior: Chain Mediating Effect of Resilience and Interpersonal Sensitivity [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(3): 353-360.
[6]	YU Tengxu, LIU Wen, LIU Fang. The Relationship Between Psychological Maltreatment and Children’s Anhedonia: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Reappraisal [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(3): 361-367.
[7]	ZHOU Aibao, ZHAO Haiyan, XIA Ruixue, YUAN Yue, JIA Tingting, XIE Pei. The Impact of Reference Styles, Emotional Valence, and Personality-Trait Assessment at Different Semantic Levels on Memory [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(2): 145-152.
[8]	SUN Yunrui, HAN Yinghong, LYU Yong, LIU Fang. The Influence of Personality on Children’s White Lie Behavior: The Parallel Mediating Effect of “Cold” and “Hot” Executive Functions [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(2): 240-247.
[9]	LU Fang, FU Shuying. The Development of Rural Children’s Social Development Questionnaire [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(2): 248-254.
[10]	BAI Huihui, WANG Yuqing, SUN Wanjing. The Resilience Status of Left-Behind Children: A Meta-Analysis [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(2): 261-267.
[11]	YUAN Bo, LIAO Suxia, GUO Qiaoqiao, GAO Qiyang, CHEN Siyu. Social Mindfulness of Migrant Children and Its Promotion [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(2): 268-273.
[12]	LI Qiming, WANG Jiting. The Relationship Between Family Atmosphere Children’s Life Satisfaction and Intergenerational Transmission of Mental Health: The Difference of Parent-Child Gender and Children Age [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(2): 282-288.
[13]	ZHANG Huan, ZUO Tianran, JIANG Wei, PEI Lingru, WU Xia. The Influence of Teachers’ Descriptions in Dialogue on Children’s Language Comprehension [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(1): 59-64.
[14]	ZENG Siyao, WANG Zhenhong. Revision of the Chinese Version of the Highly Sensitive Child Scale-Parent Report [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2022, 20(1): 101-107.
[15]	LIANG Feifei, XIANG Ying, WU Hao, HAN Yang. The Development of Word Boundary Marking in Chinese Children with Developmental Dyslexia [J]. Studies of Psychology and Behavior, 2021, 19(6): 757-763.