时间动态隐喻对消费者信息处理方式及任务启动的影响

在时间-空间的隐喻性描述中，研究者们普遍关注两种特殊的对时间的动态性进行表述的隐喻：一是自我移动隐喻，即个体被描述成主动沿着时间线向固定的目标事件移动（例如，我们离考试越来越近了）；二是事件移动隐喻，即目标事件被描述成沿着时间线朝着个体移动（例如，考试离我们越来越近了）。已有研究主要关注时间动态隐喻对消费者时间推理、动机和情绪性质的影响，而对时间动态隐喻本身的形成，及其对消费者信息处理等影响关注不足。首先，本研究从东西方文化差异的角度出发，探究不同文化下消费者使用这两种时间动态隐喻的差异，并重点检验其内在的作用机制；接下来，基于概念隐喻理论，我们拓展时间动态隐喻对消费者行为的影响，认为时间动态隐喻会影响：1）消费者信息处理方式，2）消费者任务启动。重要地，我们探究外部威胁、主体信念及情绪唤起等变量在这两个效应中的作用机制。

In various spatio-temporal metaphors, particular attention has been paid to two time-space metaphoric systems: ego-moving metaphor in which people are actively moving towards or away from a fixed target event along the stationary timeline (e.g., we are approaching the final exam); or event-moving metaphor in which the target event is moving towards or away from the fixed us along the timeline (e.g., the final exam is approaching us). Previous research mainly focuses on how time-moving metaphor influences time reasoning, motivatio and affect, while overlooks the antecedents of time-moving metaphor, as well as its impact on other aspects of consumer behavior, such as the type of imformation processing. The present research, based on the cultural differences between the east and the west, explores how the Chinese consumers may differ from the western consumers in using the time-moving metaphor. Importantly, we examined the mechanism underlying the effect. Further, based on conceptual metaphor theory, we study how time-moving metaphor influence consumer behavior. We argue that time-moving metaphor may influence: 1) consumer information processing style, 2) consumer task initiation. In addition, we examined the roles of external threat, agency belief, and emotional arousal in these two effects.