Vastness as an Embodied Representation of Existential Concepts

Mary Harmon-Vukic, Kate Spitalnic
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Abstract

This project explores the nature of the representation of non-agentic qualities that are associated with the Christian God (e.g., peace, love, joy, existence, unity, etc.). Specifically, we propose that these existential words maintain an embodied representation that involves visuo-spatial vastness. In four experiments, participants saw an image followed by words and non-words. The words were either existential words (e.g., peace, hope, unity, joy, etc.) or positively-valenced abstract concepts (e.g., luck, wealth, success, fun, etc.). Participants indicated whether the string of letters was a word or not by pressing a “yes” or “no” key as quickly as possible. Response times were recorded. In Experiments 1 and 2, images of nature depicting visuo-spatial vastness or close-up images of nature, respectively, facilitated responses to existential words compared to control words. However, in Experiment 3, when the images were presented for a much briefer duration (i.e., 250 msecs), only vast images facilitated responses to existential words. Finally, Experiments 4A and 4B demonstrated that the priming effect between vast images and existential words varied as a function of posture. Specifically, the facilitation to existential words following vast images remained when participants maintained a vast posture (i.e., arms open) but was eliminated with a constricted posture (e.g., arms crossed). The overall pattern of results across the four experiments supports the notion that existential words are associated with visuo-spatial, and perhaps, proprioceptive vastness. The results hint at the possibility that vastness is an important component of the embodied representation of existential concepts and may also relate to the representation of the Christian God.
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广袤是存在概念的具象化表征
本项目探讨了与基督教上帝相关的非代理特质(如和平、爱、喜悦、存在、合一等)的表征性质。具体来说,我们认为这些存在性词语保持着一种涉及视觉空间广度的体现性表征。在四项实验中,参与者看到的是一幅图像,然后是词语和非词语。这些词要么是存在性词语(如和平、希望、团结、快乐等),要么是正面价值的抽象概念(如幸运、财富、成功、乐趣等)。参与者以最快的速度按下 "是 "或 "否 "键,表示这串字母是否是一个单词。反应时间会被记录下来。在实验 1 和 2 中,与对照组词语相比,描绘视觉空间广阔的自然图像或特写自然图像分别促进了对存在感词语的反应。然而,在实验 3 中,当图像呈现的时间更短(即 250 毫秒)时,只有广阔的图像才会促进对存在感词语的反应。最后,实验 4A 和 4B 表明,巨大图像和存在感词语之间的引物效应随姿势的变化而变化。具体来说,当参与者保持宽阔的姿势(即双臂张开)时,宽阔图像对存在感词语的促进作用依然存在,但当参与者保持收缩的姿势(如双臂交叉)时,这种促进作用就会消失。四项实验结果的总体模式支持这样一种观点,即存在词与视觉空间相关,或许也与本体感觉的广阔性相关。这些结果表明,广阔性可能是存在概念具身表征的重要组成部分,也可能与基督教上帝的表征有关。
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Vastness as an Embodied Representation of Existential Concepts Embodiment, Deity Yoga, Cognitive and Evolutionary Approaches to Religion Beyond Heaven and Earth: A Cognitive Theory of Religion, by Gabriel Levy Raising the Buddha’s Hand Religion Devolving?
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