Editing Conceptual metaphor (section)

== Background ==
The idea of conceptual metaphors as being the basis of rational thinking, and a detailed examination of the underlying processes, was first extensively explored by George Lakoff and [[Mark Johnson (professor)|Mark Johnson]] in their work ''[[Metaphors We Live By]]'' in 1980. Since then, the field of metaphor studies within the larger discipline of [[cognitive linguistics]] has increasingly developed, with several annual academic conferences, scholarly societies, and research labs contributing to the subject area. Some researchers, such as Gerard Steen, have worked to develop empirical investigative tools for metaphor research, including the [[Metaphor identification procedure|Metaphor Identification Procedure]], or MIP.<ref>{{Cite book|title=A method for linguistic metaphor identification : from MIP to MIPVU|date=2010|publisher=John Benjamins Pub. Co|others=Steen, Gerard.|isbn=9789027288158|location=Amsterdam|oclc=650090590}}</ref> In Psychology, [[Raymond W. Gibbs Jr.|Raymond W. Gibbs, Jr.]], has investigated conceptual metaphor and [[Embodied cognition|embodiment]] through a number of psychological experiments. Other [[Cognitive science|cognitive scientists]], for example [[Gilles Fauconnier]], study subjects similar to conceptual metaphor under the labels "[[analogy]]", "[[conceptual blending]]" and "[[ideasthesia]]".

Conceptual metaphors are useful for understanding complex ideas in simple terms and therefore are frequently used to give insight to abstract theories and models. For example, the conceptual metaphor of viewing communication as a [[Conduit metaphor|conduit]] is one large theory explained with a metaphor. So not only is our everyday communication shaped by the language of conceptual metaphors, but so is the very way we understand scholarly theories. These metaphors are prevalent in communication and we do not just use them in language; we actually perceive and act in accordance with the metaphors.