Metaphor permeates every aspect of our lives, and our thinking.

Here are four near-universal metaphors you may not have noticed
- until now.
1. Important is Big

Language Examples:

 “It’s a big deal”
 “A massive result for the team”
 “Just a little white lie”

Behaviour Examples:

 Taller candidates have an advantage in elections

 Chief executives tend to be tall: 30 per cent are 6 ft 2 or taller,
and 90 per cent are above average height
 Advertisements are broadcast at a higher volume than the
programme they accompany
 Holding a heavy clipboard or book will lead subjects to rate your
work as more important than if they hold a lighter clipboard or
book.

2. Happy is Up, Sad is Down

Language Examples:

 “Things are looking up for me”

 “He’s depressed”
 “I’m at a low ebb”

Behaviour Examples:

 Sit down, hunched over, and try to feel good. Now stand up,
look up, and feel fantastic. Which was easier?
 Doctors in the UK are now encouraged to prescribe exercise as
a treatment for depression. It’s thought the action of getting up
and about makes this a more effective treatment than most
prescription drugs.

3. Emotional Closeness is Physical Proximity

Language Examples:

 We’re a close family
 My nearest and dearest
 My brothers are like two peas in a pod

Behaviour Example

 Take a handful of coins and arrange them to represent yourself

and your family Notice how you do this. Most people will use
physical distance, at least to some extent, to represent
emotional closeness. Now imagine that, for reasons outside
your control, you have to take one of them away. Notice your
emotional response to this challenge As well as highlighting the
“emotional closeness” metaphor, this exercise is a good
illustration of the emotional power of metaphor. Few people
shrug and say “It’s just a coin in an exercise!” Metaphors -
particularly our unconscious metaphors - really matter.

4. Time Is Space

Language Examples:

 “That’s all behind us now.”

 “We’re looking forward to the holidays.”
 “Turn back the clock.”
 “This week’s flying past.”

Behaviour Examples:

 “Wednesday’s meeting has been moved forward two days.”

When will the meeting happen?
 What would life be life in a culture where the past was in front,
the future, behind?
 Time is a very abstract concept, so it can be difficult to think
about without using metaphor. Here’s one for a pensive
moment: what other metaphors, not involving space, could be
used to represent time?
 Watch people’s gestures - particularly people you are in regular
contact with. Many people will gesture or glance in one
particular direction when talking about the future, and a different
direction when talking about the past.