Relativity of the mind: the mental representation of time as a function of space
Summary
In this paper, we investigated whether the mental representation of the abstract concept of time is based on the more concrete notion of space, following the conceptual metaphor theory by Lakoff and Johnson (1980). This was done using a semantic relatedness task, where both physical and temporal distance between the words, denoting moments in time, were manipulated. Contrary to what was hypothesised, no interaction effect between physical and temporal distance was found. The effects of distance in time and trial type that were found indicate possible flaws in the design of the experiment. Solutions to these problems are proposed. An alternative explanation for the absence of an interaction effect is discussed, and suggestions for further research are made.