ROUND SHAPES ARE FOR DATING, SQUARE SHAPES ARE FOR BUSINESS: PRIMING THE CONCEPT OF WARMTH AND COMPETENCE ACTIVATES THE REPRESENTATION OF SHAPES
ROUND SHAPES ARE FOR DATING, SQUARE SHAPES ARE FOR BUSINESS: PRIMING THE CONCEPT OF WARMTH AND COMPETENCE ACTIVATES THE REPRESENTATION OF SHAPES

Summary/Abstract: Research in cognitive linguistics suggests that individuals understand abstract concepts by using knowledge of the superficially dissimilar, and more concrete concepts through conceptual metaphors. Previous studies have reported round-warm and square-competent associations: such that curved shapes (e.g., rounds) increase the perception of warmth and angular shapes (e.g., squares) enhance the perception of competence in a metaphor-consistent manner. The study investigated whether manipulating abstract concepts (e.g., social judgments) influenced the processing of concrete concepts (e.g., shapes). Participants were asked to select round or square ornaments in a restaurant in a dating (warm) or a business (competent) situation. Results indicated that participants in the dating condition selected more round ornaments whereas those in the business condition selected more square ornaments, revealing that the representations of a round shape were activated in the dating condition, whereas the representations of a square shape were activated in the business situation. The theoretical implications of this finding are discussed.

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