A Bibliometric Analysis of Event-Related Potential (ERP) Research on Metaphor Processing

Abstract

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of Event-Related Potential (ERP) research on metaphor processing published from 2005 to 2025. Using CiteSpace software and data sourced from the Web of Science Core Collection, this analysis systematically reviews publication trends, identifies influential journals, authors, and institutions, and outlines the intellectual landscape of ERP studies on metaphor processing. The findings reveal a significant increase in publications, with contributions spanning cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and linguistics. Co-citation and keyword analyses identifies several major thematic clusters, including hemispheric lateralization, embodied cognition, the temporal dynamics of semantic integration, attentional and executive functions, bilingual metaphor comprehension, and conceptual expansion related to creativity. The results show that metaphor processing is a dynamic, multifaceted process that flexibly engages cognitive and neural resources depending on metaphor familiarity, context, and individual differences. Additionally, suggestions for future work in this area are provided.