Metaphors as a tool to study cognitive models of the family

Abstract

This paper deals with the problem of studying the family in the aspect of subjective perceptions that reflect the realities of man’s relationship to the family and inside the family. The authors justify and empirically illustrate the possibility of exploring a family perspective through the use of metaphors. In the main part of the work the author’s original research evaluation of metaphors of the family is presented. It reveals the meaning and content of positive and negative aspects of family positioning. The results of the study demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of using the metaphorical approach to the study of family problems and characteristics of individual consciousness in the field of family life. Besides, they justify the possibility of using the data obtained within the research in family counseling.

Keywords

• metaphors
• cognitive models of the family
• metaphoric approach
• family problems
• metaphoric images
• feminine psychology