The dual metaphorical role of abstract symbols in symbolic mathematical processing

IF 2.9 3区心理学 Q2 PSYCHOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL

New Ideas in Psychology Pub Date : 2025-06-24 DOI:10.1016/j.newideapsych.2025.101180

Omid Khatin-Zadeh

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The mechanisms through which abstract mathematical symbols and symbolic mathematical representation are processed have been discussed in many works. Some neuroimaging and behavioral studies have provided evidence for the active role of visuospatial networks and spatial abilities in the processing of symbolic mathematical representations. Based on these findings, it is suggested that the process of understanding mathematical entities in terms of abstract symbols involves an initial explicit metaphorical stage followed by a subsequent implicit metaphorical stage. In the initial explicit metaphorical stage, a mathematical entity is metaphorically described in terms of abstract symbols. Abstract symbols serve as the source domain of this metaphorical stage. In the subsequent implicit metaphorical stage, abstract symbols are metaphorically conceptualized and understood in terms of space and spatial elements. Abstract symbols serve as the target domain of this stage. While the explicit metaphorical stage has a clearly-observable manifestation in the semiotic system of abstract mathematical symbols, the implicit metaphorical stage does not have such a realization in any semiotic system or cultural artifact. This purely implicit metaphorical processing of abstract symbols in terms of space and spatial elements can be observed only through neural activities in areas of brain involved in spatial processing.

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抽象符号在符号数学处理中的双重隐喻作用

抽象数学符号和符号数学表示的处理机制已在许多著作中得到讨论。一些神经影像学和行为学研究已经为视觉空间网络和空间能力在符号数学表征的处理中发挥积极作用提供了证据。基于这些发现，我们认为用抽象符号理解数学实体的过程包括一个初始的外显隐喻阶段和随后的内隐隐喻阶段。在最初的显性隐喻阶段，数学实体是用抽象符号来隐喻描述的。抽象符号是这一隐喻阶段的源域。在随后的内隐隐喻阶段，抽象符号被隐喻地概念化，并从空间和空间元素的角度来理解。抽象符号是这一阶段的目标域。外显隐喻阶段在抽象数学符号的符号系统中有清晰可见的表现，而内隐隐喻阶段在任何符号系统或文化产物中都没有这样的实现。这种对空间和空间要素的抽象符号的纯内隐隐喻处理只能通过参与空间处理的大脑区域的神经活动来观察。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

New Ideas in Psychology Multiple-

CiteScore

4.80

自引率

3.80%

发文量

期刊介绍： New Ideas in Psychology is a journal for theoretical psychology in its broadest sense. We are looking for new and seminal ideas, from within Psychology and from other fields that have something to bring to Psychology. We welcome presentations and criticisms of theory, of background metaphysics, and of fundamental issues of method, both empirical and conceptual. We put special emphasis on the need for informed discussion of psychological theories to be interdisciplinary. Empirical papers are accepted at New Ideas in Psychology, but only as long as they focus on conceptual issues and are theoretically creative. We are also open to comments or debate, interviews, and book reviews.