Looking through rose-colored glasses - Variations in affectivity and language competence: Effects on processing and verbalization of figurative and non-figurative expressions for internal states
Final Report Abstract
Figurative (i.e., non-literal) language, particularly metaphors, play a crucial role in expressing inner states verbally. These linguistic devices make complex inner states more concrete, thereby making the emotional experience more accessible. For example, the metaphorical expression "he’s blowing off steam" links an abstract emotional concept (the target domain, in this case anger or frustration) with a physical experience (the source domain, in this case pressure). Moreover, figurative language enhances the emotional engagement of both speakers and listeners. Given this close link between emotional and linguistic processes, the question arises as to whether individuals with altered emotional experiences due to psychiatric disorders express their emotions or process figurative language differently. Previous research on this topic is heterogeneous. Therefore, the primary goal of this project was to examine how different clinical groups verbalize and process inner states using figurative language, employing a range of methodological approaches. First, detailed analyses of elicited language production regarding the type and frequency of figurative expressions revealed that clinical groups (those with depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) did not differ significantly from healthy individuals when verbally expressing inner states. Thus, the "concretism" often suggested in the literature was not confirmed, at least in terms of language production. However, the neural processing of figurative language might be affected in clinical populations. To investigate this, two experiments with controlled stimuli were designed in which participants processed figurative versus literal expressions within sentences or stories. The complex procedures of creating controlled stimuli for these experiments led to the development of the MIST (Metaphors for Internal State Terms) database, which has been made publicly available for further research through the University of Marburg's website. Unfortunately, as most of the project coincided with the coronavirus lockdowns, it was not possible to conduct the MRI-experiments in the clinical setting as planned. However, a continuation of the MRI experiments after the project’s funding phase provided initial results that point to neural deviations in the processing of figurative language in individuals with depression. Overall, the project has enriched our understanding of how psychiatric disorders affect both the verbal expression of inner states and the neural processing of figurative language.
Publications
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Die Versprachlichung von Emotionen im Spracherwerb und bei klinischen Populationen“ eingeladener Vortrag im Rahmen der „Brain Language Talks“ an der Freien Universität Berlin
Kauschke, C.
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Do Patients With Depression Prefer Literal or Metaphorical Expressions for Internal States? Evidence From Sentence Completion and Elicited Production. Frontiers in Psychology, 9.
Kauschke, Christina; Mueller, Nadine; Kircher, Tilo & Nagels, Arne
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Metaphoric expressions originating from Human Senses “, Vortrag auf der Konferenz “Researching Metaphor – Cognitive and Other” in Genua
Müller, N.
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The use of metaphorical expressions for internal states in patients with depression “, Vortrag auf der Konferenz “Researching Metaphor – Cognitive and Other” in Genua
Kauschke, C.
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Erstellung und Kontrolle von Audiodateien zur MIST-Datenbank
Müller, N. & Kauschke, C.
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Erstellung und Kontrolle weiterer Stimuli der MIST-Datenbank
Koller, S., Müller, N. & Kauschke, C.
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Metaphorical expressions originating from human senses: Psycholinguistic and affective norms for German metaphors for internal state terms (MIST database). Behavior Research Methods, 54(1), 365-377.
Müller, Nadine; Nagels, Arne & Kauschke, Christina
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Figurative Sprache bei psychiatrischen Störungen. Vortrag beim XXXIV. Workshop Klinische Linguistik
Müller, N., Stein, F. & Kauschke, C.
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The Elephant in the Room: A Systematic Review of Stimulus Control in Neuro-Measurement Studies on Figurative Language Processing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15.
Koller, Sina; Müller, Nadine & Kauschke, Christina
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103 Language and emotion in clinical populations. Handbücher zur Sprach- und Kommunikationswissenschaft / Handbooks of Linguistics and Communication Science [HSK] 46/3, 2105-2126. De Gruyter.
Kauschke, Christina
