FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE AND SOURCE CREDIBILITY: A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND RECONCEPTUALIZATION1

This study investigated the effects of figurative language on perceived source credibility. Subjects read one of five messages: literal, brief metaphor, extended metaphor, brief simile, or extended simile, and then responded to credibility and attitude scales. Results indicated that the use by a message source of an extended metaphor, an extended simile, or a brief simile enhanced the perceived authoritativeness of the source.