The Impact of Embodied and Enacted Metaphors on Cognition and Emotions in Technology-Mediated Experiences: A Scoping Review

Metaphors are a fundamental tool for shaping human understanding and interaction with the world. Indeed, they play a crucial role in cognitive and emotional processes, enabling individuals to comprehend one domain of experience in terms of another. Grounded in the Conceptual Metaphor Theory, this scoping review emphasizes the significant role of the body in metaphorical cognition and examines how technology may enhance cognitive and emotional abilities through metaphorical embodiment and enactment. Additionally, the review proposes the theoretical frameworks of active inference and Bayesian brain to provide a deeper understanding of how embodied metaphors shape cognitive and emotional experiences by integrating past experiences with current sensory inputs to make predictions about the future. Searches were conducted in the PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to extract relevant articles. Out of the 2648 articles retrieved, a total of 19 studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising 15 studies concerning the effect of metaphors on different cognitive abilities (i.e., learning, creative cognition, and perception) and 4 studies regarding emotions (i.e., emotional regulation, arousal, and psychophysiological correlates). Data from these studies were systematically extracted, tabulated, and subjected to a narrative synthesis. Overall, findings suggest that the embodiment and enactment of metaphors, facilitated by immersive technologies, significantly influence cognitive processes and emotional experiences. This enhancement is observed across diverse demographic groups, indicating broad applicability. Despite promising implications, the review identifies a need for further research, especially among clinical populations and in exploring metaphors not traditionally framed within the Conceptual Metaphor Theory.