Representation of categories: metaphorical use of the container schema

In the present study we investigated whether the mental representation of the concept categories is represented by the container image schema (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980). In two experiments participants decided whether two pictures were from the same category (animal or vehicle). Pictures were presented inside or outside a frame that should activate the container schema. We found that performance to pictures was influenced by the frame in congruence with the metaphorical mapping (same category - inside bounded region; different category - not in same bounded region). These results show that the concept categories is metaphorically represented by containers.