The role of Embodied Representations in Non-Verbal

Depiction of Abstract and Concrete Concepts

Yanina A.LedovayaDepartment of Psychology

Saint Petersburg State UniversitySt.Petersburg, Russialedovaya@gmail.com

We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.

The Talmud

We do not see things as they are, we see them

as we are.

The Talmud

We do not see things as they are, we see them

as we are.

The Talmud

Empirical study with qualitative analysis

The stimuli – two concepts:

• An abstract – “IDEA”• A concrete – “DESSERT”

The participants:

• teenagers, • N=39, 22 females, 17 males, • 14-18 years old, average 15,4 ± 1, 03

Two successive “drawing” tasks:

1. To briefly sketch a first imagery impression they have for a concept

2. To depict an object which reflects the most important and essential characteristics of this concept

(a subtest from a method “Integral conceptual structures” by Marina A.Kholodnaya, Russian Academy of Science, Institute of Psychology ;

the idea of image–to-word and vice versa transformation during thinking and understanding processes was evolved by Lev Vekker (1918-2001), Leningrad State University)

The results

“IDEA” – brief sketch (I)

sources of light – sparkling bulbs, shining suns 32%

humans or parts of the body (head, face, hand) 23%

signs of emotions (smiles, exclamation or interrogatory signs)

20%

a bulb 10%

The results

“DESSERT” - brief sketch (I)

a cake or a piece of a big cake 30%

ice-cream 18%

a big cake, cake with candles 7 % each

emotions, exclamations signs 6%

The results

“IDEA” – essential characteristics’ depiction (II) II I

sources of light – sparkling bulbs, shining suns 14% 32%

human beings or parts of the body (head, face, hand) 23% 23%

signs of emotions (smiles, exclamation or interrogatory signs) 13% 20%

symbols and metaphors 13% 4%depicting actions 11 % 6%improvements 8% 0%energy conversions 6% 0%

The results. 4

“DESSERT” – essential characteristics’ depiction (II)II I

a cake or a piece of a big cake 0% 30%

ice-cream 5% 18%

a big cake, cake with candles 5,5% each 7 % each

emotions, exclamations signs 8% 6%

fruit 12% 0%

celebrations, parties 11 0%humans 10% 2%symbols and metaphors 10% 0%the idea of harm to health and body 6% 0%

“Embodied” data in task II (core features)

categories “IDEA” “DESSERT”

humans or parts of the body 23% 10%

depicting actions 11 %

improvements 8%

energy conversions 6%

the idea of harm to health and body 6%

Main conclusions:

1. there are visual “prototypes” for concepts – both for abstract and concrete

2. a “deeper” representation combined with analysis and synthesis is (likely) experience-dependent and more individual

3. people “tell stories” and describe whole situations (in a graphical form) to depict essential characteristics of concepts, especially abstracts concepts

4. humans, actions and human body images are more involved into abstract concepts representations

Current (further) questions

• Refuse to depict concepts…• Accidental results?• Too specific choice of stimuli (“IDEA”,

“DESSERT”)?• Problem of classification (the investigator may

not be objective)?• Corresponding objective methods of

investigation?