Dr Feiyang Wang

Feiyang’s PhD research draws on the embodied cognition approach to study metaphors. Inspired by Lakoff and Johnson’s famous argument that metaphors allow us to make sense of abstract concepts in terms of concrete experiences, she is currently investigating if the effects of embodied metaphors are moderated by levels of construal (how individuals perceive, comprehend and interpret the world around them). She is also interested in how contrasting metaphors are represented in our mind and how cultural differences may interact with them.

She is also a Research Officer at the Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience. In her role, she leads research projects under the Centre’s “Changing Human Behaviour” priority area. Her current work explores how information about animal sentience can evoke meat-related cognitive dissonance and, consequently, influence consumer acceptance of cultivated meat.

More broadly, her research interests encompass food psychology, pro-environmental interventions, and the dual-process model of decision-making. She holds a PhD in Psychological and Behavioural Science and an MSc in Social and Public Communication from LSE, as well as a BA in Journalism from Zhejiang University.

Awards

Hilde Himmelweit Award, 2017

Expertise

Conceptual metaphor theory, embodied cognition, cross-cultural psychology

Key duties

• Conducting innovative, rigorous and impact-oriented research projects
• Preparing and publishing research articles in peer-reviewed journals
• Presenting research findings at conferences
• Organising conferences, seminars and workshops
• Developing collaborations with external partners and stakeholders
• Contributing creative solutions to research and impact challenges