The integration of figurative language and static depictions: An eye movement study of fictive motion

摘要: Do we view the world differently if it is described to us in figurative rather than literal terms? An answer this question would reveal something about both conceptual representation of language and scope top-down influences on scene perception. Previous work has shown that participants will look longer at a path region picture when with type called fictive motion (The road goes through desert) without desert). The current experiment provided evidence such descriptions affect eye movements by evoking mental representations motion. If heard contextual information hinder actual motion, influenced how they viewed was Inspection times scanning along increased during terrain first as difficult desert hilly) compared easy flat); there were no effects for It argued evokes simulation immediately integrated visual processing, hence can have distinct effect