Effects Of Metaphor On Memory: An Experimental Study

Based on cognitive theory, memory theory and Lakoff's conceptual metaphor theory (CMT), adopting methods used in the previous experimental studies, the present study mainly focuses on the cognitive function of metaphor in memory. The primary research questions are (1) whether metaphor has positive effects on memory; (2) for Chinese EFL learners, whether there is difference between Chinese and English metaphors in their effects on memory.This research, an experiment, adopted the method of stimulated recall, using two measurements to test memory effects: immediate recall for short-term memory effect, and delayed recall for long-term memory effect. The participants were Chinese college students who were learning English as a foreign language and they were randomly assigned to four groups. In immediate recall, the four groups of participants were respectively exposed to four types of materials, namely, English metaphoric sentences (EM), English plain sentences (EP), Chinese metaphorical sentences (CM), and Chinese plain sentences (CP). Each group read and listened to four lists of sentences. After the presentation of each list, a test paper containing the original sentences with target phrases omitted immediately followed for the participants to fulfill their recall task by filling the blanks. The same four groups of participants were given the same recall test again three days later in delayed recall test. Recall scores of the two measures were collected according to the same criteria. This study adopted a 2x2 factorial design. The two factors, language (Chinese vs. English) and sentence type (metaphoric vs. plain), were two independent variables; and the recall scores from the two measures (Memory Score 1 for short-term memory and Memory Score 2 for long-term memory) were two dependent variables.The results were: (a) EM had better effects than EP, and CM had better effects than CP in both short-term memory and long-term memory; (b) metaphors in both Chinese and English were retained more than plain expressions in both Chinese and English; and (c) in short-term memory, CM had better effects than EM, but CM and EM did not differ in their effects on long-term memory. This study, conducted within the framework of contemporary cognitive linguistics about metaphor, is an attempt to explore the cognitive function of metaphor in memory. The implication of this research lies in the application of the facilitating role of metaphor into real classroom learning and teaching so as to enhance learners' learning efficiency.