Age, Gender, and Task Type Effects on Embodied Metaphor Comprehension in Persian-Speaking Children

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. student of Department of Linguistics, SR.C, Islamic of University, Tehran, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran (Corresponding Author)

3 Associate Professor, Department of Linguistics, Tarbiat Modarres University

10.22075/jlrs.2025.38553.2729

Abstract

This study examines how age (8 vs. 12 years), gender, and task type (visual/auditory) influence the comprehension of embodied metaphors related to sensory-motor organs (eyes, ears, hands, feet) in Persian-speaking children. Using a cross-sectional design, 160 elementary school children completed metaphor comprehension tests in both visual (image-based) and auditory (story-based) versions. Results revealed developmental differences: 8-year-olds showed superior understanding of hand-related metaphors, while 12-year-olds excelled in eye-related metaphors during visual tasks and ear-related metaphors during auditory tasks. Gender effects emerged across age groups - 8-year-old boys performed better with foot-related auditory metaphors, whereas girls surpassed boys in hand-related visual metaphors. Among 12-year-olds, girls demonstrated superior performance across multiple categories: ear-related and hand-related metaphors. The results also indicated a positive correlation between the metaphors, the task type (visual and auditory), and the sensory channel (ears and eyes) associated with the metaphor. These findings suggest that: (1) embodied metaphor comprehension shifts from haptic to distal sensory domains with age, (2) gender differences in metaphor processing emerge by age 8 and intensify by age 12, and (3) sensory-channel specialization becomes more pronounced with cognitive development. The study provides empirical evidence for designing age- and gender-appropriate linguistic materials in educational contexts.

Keywords

References

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Journal Of Linguistic and Rhetorical Studies
Volume 17, Issue 43
March 2026
Pages 47-74

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