Editing Metaphor (section)

==Psychological effects==

Psychological research has shown that metaphors influence perception, reasoning, and decision-making by shaping how people conceptualize abstract ideas. Studies in cognitive linguistics suggest that metaphors are not merely stylistic devices but fundamental to human cognition, as they structure the way people understand and interact with the world.<ref> Lakoff, G. & Johnson, M. (1980). Metaphors We Live By. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-46801-3. </ref> Experiments demonstrate that different metaphorical framings can alter judgment and behavior. For example, a study by Thibodeau and Boroditsky (2011) found that describing crime as a "beast preying on the city" led participants to support more punitive law enforcement policies, whereas framing crime as a "virus infecting the city" increased support for social reform and prevention measures.<ref> Thibodeau, P. H., & Boroditsky, L. (2011). "Metaphors We Think With: The Role of Metaphor in Reasoning". PLoS ONE, 6(2), e16782. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0016782 </ref> Similarly, studies on political discourse suggest that metaphors shape attitudes toward policy decisions, with metaphors like "tax relief" implying that taxation is an inherent burden, thus influencing public opinion.<ref> Lakoff, G. (2004). Don't Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate. Chelsea Green Publishing. ISBN 978-1-931498-71-5. </ref>

Metaphors also play a crucial role in how people experience crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A study by Baranowski et al. (2024) analyzed the use of metaphorical imagery in professional healthcare literature and found that metaphors significantly influenced how healthcare workers perceived and emotionally responded to the pandemic.<ref> Baranowski, A. M., Blank, R., Maus, K., Tüttenberg, S. C., Matthias, J-K., Culmann, A. C., Radbruch, L., Richter, C., & Geiser, F. (2024). "‘We are all in the same boat’: A qualitative cross-sectional analysis of COVID-19 pandemic imagery in scientific literature and its use for people working in the German healthcare sector". Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.XXXXXX </ref> Their research identified different categories of metaphorical framings—such as war metaphors ("fighting the pandemic") and transformational metaphors ("lessons learned from the crisis")—which led to varying emotional responses among healthcare workers. While war metaphors were widely used, they could also induce feelings of helplessness if the metaphor implied an unwinnable battle. In contrast, metaphors that framed the pandemic as a challenge or learning opportunity tended to promote a sense of empowerment and resilience. These findings align with previous research showing that metaphors can significantly impact emotional processing and coping strategies in stressful situations.<ref> Hauser, D. J., & Schwarz, N. (2019). "The War on Prevention: Bellicose Cancer Metaphors Hurt (Some) Prevention Intentions". Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(10), 1464–1479. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167219832336 </ref>

Moreover, metaphorical language can impact emotions and mental health. For instance, describing depression as "drowning" or "a dark cloud" can intensify the emotional experience of distress, while framing it as "a journey with obstacles" can encourage resilience and problem-solving approaches.<ref> Hauser, D. J., & Schwarz, N. (2019). "The War on Prevention: Bellicose Cancer Metaphors Hurt (Some) Prevention Intentions". Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 45(10), 1464–1479. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167219832336 </ref> These findings highlight the pervasive role of metaphors in shaping thought processes, reinforcing the idea that language not only reflects but also constructs reality.