The effect of temporal concept on the automatic activation of spatial representation: From axis to plane

Abstract Temporal concepts could be represented horizontally(X-axis) or vertically (Y-axis). However, whether the spatial representation of time exists in the whole plane remains unclear. In this study, we investigated whether processing temporal concepts would automatically activate spatial representations in a whole plane without any guidance or cue. Participants first indicated whether a word was past-related or future-related, then, they identified a target in different visual fields. In Experiment 1, the results demonstrated that past time mapped onto the left and top in a plane or axis, while future time mapped onto the right and bottom, with the horizontal effect being stronger than the vertical effect. In Experiment 2, an index of eye movement showed a similar data pattern. Thinking about temporal concepts activates spatial schema automatically without guidance or cue, and the time-space metaphor is represented not only as an axis but also as a whole plane. The results were discussed in terms of the possible cultural differences that made the Chinese participants tend to be more flexible in spatial representation of time because of their comprehensive thinking.