Reading and Recall of Metaphorical Sentences: Effects of Familiarity and Context

Two experiments examined the effects of familiarity and context on the reading and recall of metaphorical sentences. In Experiment 1, eye movements were recorded during the reading of high- or low-familiar target metaphors that were preceded by either a related metaphor, an unrelated metaphor, or an unrelated literal sentence. High-familiar metaphors were read more quickly than low-familiar metaphors. Related metaphor contexts facilitated reading times. Experiment 2 examined memory for high- and low-familiar metaphors using the 3 context conditions from Experiment 1 as cues. The high-and low-familiar metaphors were remembered at similar rates. Metaphors cued by a related metaphor were recalled at a higher rate than those cued by an unrelated literal or metaphorical sentence. The results suggest a partial dissociation between comprehension and memory processes.