Ignored, Vulnerable, and Invisible: Evidence for an Embodied Social Metaphor

Presentation Type

Poster/Portfolio

Presenter Major(s)

Psychology, English

Mentor Information

Kristy Dean

Department

Psychology

Location

Henry Hall Atrium 32

Start Date

11-4-2012 9:00 AM

Keywords

Social Science

Abstract

Research on embodied cognition and metaphors suggest that people's understanding of abstract concepts is grounded in their sensory experiences. For example, feeling physically warm (vs. cool) elicits perceptions that others are interpersonally warm (Williams & Bargh, 2008), and social exclusion (vs. acceptance) leads people to literally feel colder (Zhong & Leonardelli, 2008). The current study examined the effects of social exclusion/acceptance on perceptions of physical vulnerability and invisibility. Consistent with hypotheses, participants randomly assigned to write about a past social exclusion (vs. acceptance) displayed greater accessibility of physical risk-related constructs (assessed via a word completion task), and expressed greater aversion to experiencing invisibility (assessed via reactions to an imagination scenario). Discussion will center on future research questions and interventions aimed at helping people to cope with exclusion and to feel physically safe.

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Apr 11th, 9:00 AM

Ignored, Vulnerable, and Invisible: Evidence for an Embodied Social Metaphor

Henry Hall Atrium 32

Research on embodied cognition and metaphors suggest that people's understanding of abstract concepts is grounded in their sensory experiences. For example, feeling physically warm (vs. cool) elicits perceptions that others are interpersonally warm (Williams & Bargh, 2008), and social exclusion (vs. acceptance) leads people to literally feel colder (Zhong & Leonardelli, 2008). The current study examined the effects of social exclusion/acceptance on perceptions of physical vulnerability and invisibility. Consistent with hypotheses, participants randomly assigned to write about a past social exclusion (vs. acceptance) displayed greater accessibility of physical risk-related constructs (assessed via a word completion task), and expressed greater aversion to experiencing invisibility (assessed via reactions to an imagination scenario). Discussion will center on future research questions and interventions aimed at helping people to cope with exclusion and to feel physically safe.