Effects of traits for metaphorical explanations on the retention of psychological concepts

This research clarified what kind of traits of the metaphorical explanations (ME) facilitated the retention of psychological concepts (PC). The pre-research using 87 university students extracted the logical factor and interesting-impressive factor from nine items for ME.. The main research using 144 university students investigated the effects of image and ground efficiency of ME on the retention of PC. The subjects were divided into four typical clusters for the characteristics of recall levels. The reference between the factor score of ME and the recall level were clarified in analysis 1. The results showed that no differences were found among clusters in two factor scores. The image and ground efficiency were compared among the four clusters in analysis 2. The results were that the cluster characterized by the overall high recall level for PC showed the high scores of ground efficiency and especially plausible ground in ME given for the difficult PC (DPC). These results led to conclusion that the overall PC were related by the plausible ME with efficient ground given for DPC.

metaphorical explanations

traits

retention

psychological concepts