Effects of metaphors on thinking: The case of the drug addiction problem in Thai society

This study investigates how metaphorical framing shapes public reasoning about drug addiction in Thai society. Specifically, it examines how presenting drug users as criminals versus patients influences perceptions of responsibility and preferred solutions. The research objectives are 1) to assess the impact of different metaphors related to the debate on the elimination of drug problems in Thai society, and; 2) to elucidate the degree of conscious awareness of the use of metaphors in this debate. Data were collected from two questionnaires administered to 384 Thai participants aged 18–24. Each questionnaire consisted of three parts: general information; a passage about drug consisting of metaphors ‘drug users as criminals’ or ‘drug users as patients’; and open-ended questions on opinions about drug problems. The findings reveal that the “criminal” frame elicited stronger support for law enforcement measures, while the “patient” frame promoted healthcare-oriented responses. These results highlight the subtle yet powerful effects of metaphorical framing, even when participants are not consciously aware of its influence. This study underscores context sensitivity and cultural resistance, which lend support to Kövecses’s (2020) cultural extensions of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) and suggesting dynamic mappings between the conceptual domains of criminals and patients. By demonstrating how figurative language directs social attitudes and proposed policies, this research contributes to understanding the role of metaphor in shaping public discourse and advancing social equity, while offering insights relevant to health communication and social policy debates.