Literal Metaphors

Metaphors are more than just literary devices discussed in English class - they can be found in almost every sentence we speak, and they help us understand abstract concepts like love, time, freedom, power, and morality (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980). For example, an abstract concept like time may be represented by the more concrete, physical experience of moving forward through space (e.g., "I'm moving towards my goal") Although these metaphorical connections are not presumed to be literal – walking forward doesn’t literally mean getting closer to a personal goal – recent research suggests that many of these connections are more literal than we might think. It turns out that simple physical sensations or movements can shape our thinking and behavior in powerful ways, all without our awareness. Over the past few years the field has seen an explosion of research on this topic. In addition to revealing fascinating insights about how the mind works, many of these findings have practical implications. Here are some examples.
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