“I Didn’t Want to Buy More Tickets for that Lottery”: Metaphors for Genetic Testing in a Qualitative Study about Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Tests

Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing (DTCGT) has become part of the testing ecosystem through which contemporary individuals construct their medical subjectivities. During analysis of focus group materials produced in a qualitative study about public perception of DTCGT conducted in Madrid (Spain) between 2023 and 2024, we observed that participants often turned to metaphors and analogies when trying to make sense of what genetic tests are and do. Metaphors helped participants frame their ideas about genetic predisposition and clarify their perspectives and attitudes toward DTCGT and genetic testing more broadly. While genetic metaphors have been extensively studied in scientific and media discourses, there is far less research on lay metaphors for genetics, particularly those related to genetic testing. Our analysis identified three primary metaphorical clusters: metaphors of chance (genes as a lottery, tests as gambling); metaphors of connection (genes as chains, tests as un/making ties); and metaphors of activation (genes as switches, tests as sources of light). Although these sets of metaphors all address similar dichotomies—fate/choice, heredity/lifestyle, family/individual—each organizes and constructs them differently, with specific implications for the motivations behind genetic testing, the perceived utility of such tests, and their impact on the individuals being tested.