‘Like a light switch that is on and off at the same time’. A content analysis of signaled metaphors for quantum science and technology in Dutch newspapers

Abstract

Quantum science and technology is an emerging field of research expected to have a transformative impact on society. Its inherent complexity and counterintuitive nature, however, may pose a barrier to communication with general audiences. Metaphors can play an important role in bridging the gap between abstract quantum concepts and public engagement. Yet, no research to date has systematically examined which metaphors are used in communication about quantum directed at non-experts. In this study, we address this gap by performing a content analysis of 816 Dutch newspaper articles published between January 2010 and March 2024. We first identify which quantum mechanical concepts and technologies are described metaphorically, and which source domains are used. We then examine how elements of the source domains are used to explain key features of the target domains in question, with particular attention to the most frequently metaphorized concepts. The results show 331 metaphors and reveal systematic patterns in the relationships between target domains and the source domains used to describe them. For example, some concepts are consistently framed through objects and materials, others through familiar physical phenomena, and others through references to existing technologies. Specific elements of the source domains are used to foreground particular features, such as particle movements or functional processes. Overall, this study contributes to our understanding of how quantum science and technology is represented in public discourse, and highlights both the diversity and systematic use of metaphorical language in newspaper coverage.