Department of Psychology, University of Bologna.
Uniklinik, Aachen University.
Psychol Bull. 2017 Mar;143(3):263-292. doi: 10.1037/bul0000089. Epub 2017 Jan 16.
concepts ("freedom") differ from concrete ones ("cat"), as they do not have a bounded, identifiable, and clearly perceivable referent. The way in which abstract concepts are represented has recently become a topic of intense debate, especially because of the spread of the embodied approach to cognition. Within this framework concepts derive their meaning from the same perception, motor, and emotional systems that are involved in online interaction with the world. Most of the evidence in favor of this view, however, has been gathered with regard to concrete concepts. Given the relevance of abstract concepts for higher-order cognition, we argue that being able to explain how they are represented is a crucial challenge that any theory of cognition needs to address. The aim of this article is to offer a critical review of the latest theories on abstract concepts, focusing on embodied ones. Starting with theories that question the distinction between abstract and concrete concepts, we review theories claiming that abstract concepts are grounded in metaphors, in situations and introspection, and in emotion. We then introduce multiple representation theories, according to which abstract concepts evoke both sensorimotor and linguistic information. We argue that the most promising approach is given by multiple representation views that combine an embodied perspective with the recognition of the importance of linguistic and social experience. We conclude by discussing whether or not a single theoretical framework might be able to explain all different varieties of abstract concepts. (PsycINFO Database Record
概念（“自由”）与具体概念（“猫”）不同，因为它们没有一个有限的、可识别的、清晰可感知的参照。抽象概念的表示方式最近成为激烈争论的话题，尤其是因为认知的具身方法的传播。在这个框架内，概念从相同的感知、运动和情感系统中获得其意义，这些系统涉及与世界的在线交互。然而，支持这种观点的大部分证据都是针对具体概念收集的。鉴于抽象概念对更高阶认知的重要性，我们认为，能够解释它们是如何被表示的是任何认知理论都需要解决的关键挑战。本文的目的是对最新的抽象概念理论进行批判性回顾，重点是具身理论。从质疑抽象和具体概念之间区别的理论开始，我们回顾了那些声称抽象概念基于隐喻、情境和内省以及情感的理论。然后，我们介绍了多种表示理论，根据这些理论，抽象概念唤起了感觉运动和语言信息。我们认为，最有前途的方法是结合具身视角和对语言和社会经验的重要性的认识的多种表示观点。最后，我们讨论了是否可以用一个单一的理论框架来解释所有不同种类的抽象概念。
