Metaphor Comprehension with a Damaged Right Hemisphere: Focusing on Word Association and Verbal Analogical Processes

Kim, Eun-Jung; Choi, Yaelin

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Commun Sci Disord. 2009;14(1): 70-81.

Eun-Jung Kim^` , and Yaelin Choi^`

김은정(Eun-Jung Kim)| 최예린(Yaelin Choi)

ABSTRACT

Background & Objectives
Generally it is known that the right hemisphere of the brainis responsible for understanding metaphors, however some dissension still remains. This study examined whether or not patients with a damaged right hemisphere have difficulties in understanding metaphors, and evaluated their abilities withword association and verbal analogical processes necessary for understanding metaphors.
Methods
The study group consisted of 14 adults with damaged right hemispheres and 14 normal adults. Each subject was presented with 20 metaphor comprehension questions, 10 word associations, and 20 verbal analogical processes.
Results
The damaged right hemisphere group showed a relatively lower understanding of metaphors and verbal analogical processes compared to the normal group. The damaged right hemisphere group showed a lower number of responses to the stimuli than the normal group. However, the average number of responses to word associations was not significant. It was observed that there was a significant and static correlation between understanding metaphors and other variables.
Discussion & Conclusion
: It was confirmed that patients have difficulty in understanding metaphors after damage to the right hemisphere. There is also a difference in the qualitative vocabulary between the group with damaged right hemispheres and the normal group. This implies that the group with damaged right hemispheres may have different verbal analogical processes and application processes compared to the normal group. This study could confirm that word association ability is related to verbal analogical reasoning for understanding metaphors.