WHERE DO METAPHORS COME FROM

In accordance with the ecological (i.e., realist) approach to psycholo gy, we argue that metaphors originate from a process of resonating to perceptual information in the world. Metaphor is defined as a species of perceptually guided, adaptive action that involves the detection an d use of structural or dynamic properties that remain invariant across kinds. Metaphor, in addition, involves an active, partial transformat ion of one kind of thing (the topic) under the guidance of another kin d of thing (the vehicle). This definition rejects views stating that m etaphor is a deceptive language use, or a form of special-purpose clas sification, and extends the scope of metaphor to action as well as vis ual displays. Four studies generated by the realist approach are revie wed, along with directions for future work, all related to the develop ment of metaphor. This article concludes that the realist view has bro ught about new experimental questions and methods and a novel theoreti cal approach.