Noise Makes a Hole in My Ear-Using Metaphors as Means to Expose Perceptions of Noise among Young Children

Abstract

The research aim is to understand how young children perceive noise by using metaphoric tools. The study was held according to a phenomenological qualitative paradigm of multiple case studies. Sixty five-years-old children participated in the study. Three research tools were chosen: The Metaphorical Collage (Russo-Zimet, 2015); a tool based on psycho-physical and verbo-gestural metaphor (Merleau-Ponty, 1962[1945]; Cienki & Müller, 2008); and a tool based on the power of the source domain in creating a metaphor (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980). An analysis of the children's answers shows that children have a deep complex understanding of the concept of noise. Three relate to the physical concept, and three relate to environmental effects on their life:

1). Noise moves - running, stopping and turning around, 2). Noise is composed of a fast movement, 3). Noise needs multiplicity, 4). Noise is made by man and nature, 5). Noise effects poorly on our body, 6). Noise made by crying and screaming has a negative effect on children. They may not use scientific terms like: sound waves, amplitude, frequency and volume, however, they describe noise as a sound wave, understand that there are frequencies, recognize internal and external noise and understand that man and nature are responsible to noise.