Understanding perceptual change as a movement in literal and metaphorical sentences

Figures & data

Table 1. Total count of produced literal sentences describing perceptual changes and the number of produced gestures for each category of sentences

	Visual	Auditory	Haptic	Gustatory	Olfactory
Literal sentences describing perceptual changes	98	83	69	71	78
Number of gestures that accompanied each category of literal sentences	65	53	38	44	42
Percentage of sentences that were accompanied by gestures	66%	63%	%55	61%	%53

Table 2. Total count of produced metaphorical sentences describing a phenomenon in terms of a perceptual change and the number of produced gestures for each category of sentences

	Visual	Auditory	Haptic	Gustatory	Olfactory
Metaphorical sentences describing a phenomenon in terms of a perceptual change	89	78	73	74	68
Number of gestures that accompanied each category of literal sentences	56	46	41	43	39
Percentage of sentences that were accompanied by gestures	62%	58%	56%	58%	57%

Figure 1. Examples of gestures that accompanied literal sentences in the study. The type perceptual change associated with every gesture is given in parentheses. Note: permission for publishing the photos was obtained from the participants. A) After some time, the smell of the smoke become stronger (olfactory) B) The sound of the siren changed and become much stronger (auditory) C) After some time, the soft mud changed into a rough stone (haptic) D) When the sun appeared, the dark sky changed into a bright sky (visual) E) The spice really changes the taste of the food (gustatory).

Figure 2. Examples of gestures that accompanied metaphorical sentences in the study. The type perceptual change associated with every gesture is given in parentheses. Note: permission for publishing the photos was obtained from the participants. A) The light of hope gradually appeared in the horizons (visual) B) Sirens started to warn a society that was in deep sleep, and they become louder and louder (auditory) C) The old beliefs had turned into a rough unchangeable stone throughout centuries (haptic) D) That sweet day turned into a bitter day (gustatory) E) When she entered the system, she felt the hateful smell of corruption (olfactory).