Metaphor and framing in political speeches: Effects of conceptual metaphor on recognition and recall

Cognitive linguists suggest that metaphorical framing has strong cognitive effects. However, experimental research only showed small or contradictory effects. In this chapter, an experiment is reported in which metaphor and framing were manipulated independently. Audible political speeches were developed containing metaphors or no metaphors, valence framing (positive versus negative), and generic framing (two news schemes). Recognition, recall, and attitude change were assessed for metaphors and frames in interaction. In total 965 participants listened to one of the speeches (all delivered by the same actor), and completed a questionnaire. There were no main effects of metaphor, nor did metaphor interact with generic framing. A main effect of negative valence on agreement, and several interactions of negative valence with metaphor and/or generic framing on other dependent variables, showed that negative valence drives politicians’ persuasiveness more than metaphor