Porwol, P., & Scharlau, I. (2025). Is explaining more like showing or more like building?—Agency in metaphors of explaining. Frontiers in Psychology, 16. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1628706
Philip Porwol und Ingrid Scharlau haben einen Corpus von englischen und deutschen Erklärmetaphern darauf hin untersucht, welches Verständnis von Agentivität diese Metaphern implizieren. Wer handelt? Was genau passiert beim Erklären? Das Paper geht von der Annahme aus, dass gerade unauffällige Metaphern des Erklärens, die wir beiläufig verwenden (etwas zu zeigen, etwas zu geben) prägen, wie Menschen erklären oder welche technischen Erklärsysteme sie bauen.
Das Paper ist im Sonderforschungsbereich TRR 318 Constructing Explainability entstanden.
Abstract: Explanations play a crucial role in knowledge transfer and meaning-making and are often described as a co-constructive process in which multiple agents collaboratively shape understanding. However, the metaphors used to conceptualize explaining may influence how this process is framed. This study investigates the extent to which the co-constructive nature of explaining is represented in explaining metaphors. Using a systematic analysis of agency, we examined how these metaphors depict the explanation process and the roles of the agents involved. We established that explaining metaphors lack collaboration between explainer and addressee, constructiveness of the process, as well as bidirectionality and iterativeness. In light of current research on metaphorical framing, the study thus highlights the risk that such explaining metaphors may reinforce a non-co-constructive perspective on explaining and a top-down approach in the development of AI systems as well as other areas.
