Warlike Metaphors Make the Cancer Fight Harder
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iStock/Thinkstock(ANN ARBOR, Mich.) — Perhaps we’ve been going about the war on cancer all wrong.
That’s the finding of University of Michigan researcher David Hauser, who says that metaphors used when describing people’s efforts to resist the disease, such as “fight” and “battle,” can detract from cancer-prevention behaviors.
In one experiment, Hauser had more than 300 participants read one of two passage about colorectal cancer. One constantly referred to this cancer as an “enemy” while the other contained no such metaphors.
Essentially, people who read the passage with more belligerent language seemed less likely to choose preventative measures to reduce their risk of contracting colorectal cancer such as limiting red meat, quitting smoking and other healthful advice.
While trying to boost people’s resolve in dealing with cancer, these warlike metaphors, which are pervasive in science journalism, inadvertently have “unfortunate side-effects,” according to Hauser.
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