Psychology: Techniques and Application

Psychology: Techniques and Application ›› 2026, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (9): 564-573.

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The Spatial and Color Metaphor Representation of Environmental Concepts

  

  1. School of Psychology, Inner Mongolia Normal University; Psychological Education Research Center of Higher Education Institutions in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region
  • Accepted:2026-05-12 Online:2026-08-27 Published:2026-08-27

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Abstract:

Using the Stroop paradigm, three experiments were conducted to investigate the representational characteristics of spatial and color metaphors for environmental concepts. Experiment 1 examined the relationship between environmental concepts and vertical spatial metaphor. The results showed that reaction times were significantly faster when environmental words were presented in the upper position and pollution words in the lower position than when the positions were reversed. Experiment 2 explored the relationship between environmental concepts and horizontal spatial metaphor. The results revealed no significant difference in reaction times regardless of whether environmental or pollution words were presented on the left or right side. Experiment 3 investigated the relationship between environmental concepts and color metaphor. The results demonstrated metaphorical associations between environmental concepts and the color green, and between pollution concepts and the color red. These findings indicate that: (1) environmental concepts exhibit a metaphorical linkage of “environmental-up, pollution-down” in vertical space; (2) there is no metaphorical linkage between environmental concepts and horizontal space; (3) environmental and pollution concepts show metaphorical associations with red and green colors, specifically “environmental-green, pollution-red.” Environmental concepts involve multiple metaphors, including both vertical spatial and color metaphors.

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CLC Number: 

  • B849
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