I Say Heavy Metaphors…Flow So Overweight – Weight Puts Mass On Thinking, Literally, Study
Christopher Philip
Our consciousness is grounded with the use of metaphor. Heavy objects weigh us down in the same way that we are weighed down by ‘heavy’ thoughts. We deal with weighty thought like we do weighty objects – with more consideration and care.
“I say heavy metaphors, flow so overweight, I can rap around these other young in’s like a cobra snake” ~ Stuntin’ by Little Wayne
Weight as a metaphor for importance doesn’t end at Little Wayne. For example, weight in metaphor is common for the Dutch, Spanish and Chinese. People “weigh” their options before making an important decision, they add considerable “weight” to influence a position, and if they are prestigious, their opinion “carries weight.”
Gravity is a ubiquitous force for everyone, so it’s no surprise that much of how we conceptualize about life is “grounded” on the heaviness of an object. We grow to understand that an object’s density and size influence how we will interact with it. Even a slow moving object, loaded with considerable weight, such as a vehicle, presents inherent risks. We come to understand that this importance is not “carried” in a small object, even if it is traveling at a much faster speed.
Moving a light object requires little by way of consideration. If we wish to move a small, light object, we simply pick it up. However, moving heavy objects require certain planning and energetic costs. Over time, people learn to deal with heavy objects differently than lighter ones and learn that the former is more costly to deal with than the latter.
Over time, people tend to associate the “experience of weight with the increased expenditure of bodily or mental effort.”
This suggests that weight is grounded in bodily experience.
Other studies have shown that carrying a heavy backpack led participants to judge distances to be greater, and hills to be steeper.
The Current Study
In line with this reasoning, researchers Nils Jostmann, University of Amsterdam, designed four studies to measure the embodied importance of weight on decision.
He figured that the bodily experience of weight should influence the extent to which issues are judged to be important. When a heavy weight is associated with an idea then its importance should be judge as greater than when it is associated with a lighter weight.
“Much as dealing with heavy objects is associated with greater physical or mental effort than dealing with light objects, dealing with important abstract issues is associated with more elaborate thinking than dealing with unimportant issues,” say the researchers in their paper.
In each study, the researchers used a clipboard which either weighed 1.45 lbs when light or 2.29 lbs when weighed down. A compartment was located in the clipboard which permitted the addition or removal of paper. In each experiment the participants filled out the clipboard while standing.
In the first study, subjects reported on their perceived value of foreign currency while holding a light or heavy clipboard. The researchers predictions stood and the subjects rated the perceived values of the currency based on the heaviness of the clipboard being held at the time.
In the seconds study, subjects were presented with a fictional story. The story followed that a University committee denied students the right to express their opinion on the size of a grant to study abroad. They then offered their opinion in a 7-point scale as to how important they felt it was for the students to be heard inclusively by the committee.
Once again, it was found that weight was key in determining importance.
Two other tests using the same light and heavy clipboard were conducted which also supported the idea of the embodiment of weight and importance. In the third study, the participants were more consistent in their ratings of the quality of the city and the quality of the mayor when they held the heavy clipboard, but not when the subjects held the light clipboard. The heavy clipboard also induced subjects to be more consistent across measures indicating that they put more thought into their decisions.
In the final study, the subjects were tested on their strength of opinion on a controversial subway to be constructed. Again, the results showed that those holding the heavy clipboard were more confident with their opinions on the matter and felt more assured of themselves than those who held the lighter clipboard.
Take Away Message
Moving heavy objects, like making ‘big’ decisions, requires careful planning and mental ‘effort.’ Breaking big ideas into smaller more manageable tasks often makes the proposition more easily accomplished. Ramps, levers and a willing team turn heavy prospects into light work. The same can be said for important mental tasks, which can, at times, overwhelm and paralyze.
Across four studies, it was found that the relative concept of importance was grounded in bodily experience of weight. When subjects held a heavy clipboard, they judged issues to be weightier than when they held a lighter clipboard. This was found with respect to money, justice, and community policy.
It might not seem obvious at first that weight has any application to nonverbal communication. However, the study shows us how we link the physical world – weight – with importance.
From there we can draw inferences to both people and objects. For example, many studies have shown that we assume that powerful men are taller than they actually are. This related back to size and weight. We may also find that bigger people command more importance than smaller people. Certainly this is so when we compare adults and children, but we may also see this with respect to skinny people versus larger ones – assuming we strip away factors related to health. By this rational, we may ascribe more importance to a muscular man than a skinny man and to a regular height person versus as little person. Likewise, a skinny short woman alongside a taller woman with some bulk, may command more importance.
Weight In Sales
In sales, and persuasion, we may also see weight play into the process. Selling big heavy products such as a house or a car weighs more heavily on the mind. Certainly, heavier objects are more costly and this is one factor, but consider a relatively inexpensive item such as an old used car, and we spend much time contemplating having to deal with the fallout of a bad decision. You may think that this has to do with the fact that cars can carry hidden defects, but compare this to the cost of a high end consumer digital camera, a laptop, or phone, which can carry similar costs to a low end used automobile and we see how their relative weight carries force over our decisions.
Buying a pet, consider a smaller tea cup dog rather than a bullmastiff, it will weigh on you less! Better yet, how about a fish? But does it require a heavy aquarium?
Phrases such as “Don’t worry, this item is built with high quality but super light material!” will help downplay the importance of the decision expediting sales. Though, high quality is often ascribed to objects that are heavier, therefore one may wish to juggle the relative features depending on the customer.
It is far easier to sell a consumer a high end item that is lighter and easier to move even when the costs are comparable. As a relevant example, in your mind, compare the process of buying a new couch versus a new phone. You would probably spend more time making sure that the couch fitted your lifestyle – unless of course, you didn’t have to move it yourself.
This brings up an important factor in the sales of furniture. Often, the cost of moving them is built right into the price of an item, or if not, can be easily added for a nominal cost – removing the weightiness of the proposition.
“It’s no ‘big’ deal – delivery is free!”
On the other hand, we may wish to add weight to prime embodiment especially when we wish people would place more thought. A parent, for example, may have a small child hold a heavy pet in their arms for a length of time in order that they understand the importance of their decision.
Naturally, weight surrounds us and we should assume, based on this research, that people will naturally deal with weightier items in ways that are different than lighter objects. Selling a heavy object, convincing people to do things that require them to labour over heavy objects, and dealing with people with a heavier mass, will command more importance.
Resources
Jostmann, Nils B.; Danie Lakens and Thomas W. Schubert. Weight As An Embodiment Of Importance. Association for Psychological Science. 2019. 20(9): 1169-1174.
Proffitt, D.R. Embodied Perception And The Economy Of Action. Perspectives on Psychological Science. 2006. 1: 110-122.
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