The long-term effects of integral versus composite metaphors on experts' and novices' search behaviors

This researcher proposes a metaphor design methodology to examine the long-term effects of integral (single) versus composite (mixed) metaphors on subjects' information search behaviors and their effects on Internet novices and experts. Ninety-eight college students participated in this study. The findings suggest that metaphor's effects decrease over time as users become more experienced. Moreover, composite metaphors facilitate experts' searching better than novices'.