Representation of Categories

Abstract

In the present study we investigated whether the mental representation of the concept categories is represented by the container image schema ( Lakoff & Johnson, 1980 ). In two experiments participants decided whether two pictures were from the same category (animal or vehicle). Pictures were presented inside or outside a frame that should activate the container schema. We found that performance to pictures was influenced by the frame in congruence with the metaphorical mapping (same category – inside bounded region; different category – not in same bounded region). These results show that the concept categories is metaphorically represented by containers.