Psychological Development and Education ›› 2020, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (5): 513-519.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2020.05.01

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The Space-time Metaphor of the Children and Teenagers

DU Xuan1,2, LIN Jiayi1, CHEN Lijing1   

  1. 1. Department of Psychology, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou 350117;
    2. Hui'an Guanghai Middle School, Quanzhou 362100
  • Published:2020-09-11

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Abstract: The present study investigated the “left-past, right-future” space-time metaphor for the children and teenagers. This study recruited 100 elementary, junior and senior high school students (Grades 3,6,9 and 12) from 4 schools in Hui'an, Quanzhou, China. Participants categorized a series of phrases as referring to the past or to the future by pressing a left or a right key. Results showed that the “past-left, future-right” time-space match was responded faster and more accurate than the mismatch condition, supporting the psychological reality of the “left-past, right-future” space-time metaphor for the children and teenagers. In Summary, the children and teenagers from Grade 3 to Grade 12 have a space-time metaphor similar to the adults. This finding supports the Metaphoric-Structuring View.

Key words: time metaphor, cognitive development, language development, children, teenagers

CLC Number: 

  • B844
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