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Related Experiment Videos

Enabling spontaneous analogy through heuristic change.

Thomas C Ormerod1, James N MacGregor2

  • 1University of Sussex, UK.

Cognitive Psychology
|October 15, 2017
PubMed
Summary
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Experience with problem-solving failure, particularly when a constraint signals suboptimal strategies, enhances spontaneous analogical transfer. This heuristic change improves performance on both analogous and non-analogous problems.

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Problem Solving
  • Learning and Education

Background:

  • Analogy is crucial for problem solving, learning, and education.
  • Spontaneous analogical transfer, however, is rarely demonstrated.
  • Existing theories lack mechanisms explaining spontaneous transfer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose and test a theory of heuristic change for spontaneous analogical transfer.
  • To investigate how experiencing failure in source problem-solving influences transfer.
  • To examine the impact of specific constraints on problem-solving strategies and transfer.

Main Methods:

  • Four experiments were conducted, manipulating the experience of failure with source problems.
  • A financial constraint was introduced in source problems to signal inappropriate maximizing moves.
Keywords:
AnalogyHeuristicsInsightProblem-solvingTransfer

Related Experiment Videos

  • Participants' performance on source and analogical/non-analogical target problems was assessed.

    • Main Results:

    • A constraint signaling inappropriate maximizing moves improved source problem-solving.
    • This constraint significantly increased spontaneous analogical transfer to similar and dissimilar problems.
    • The positive effect extended to non-analogous target problems, indicating heuristic adaptation.

    Conclusions:

    • Spontaneous analogical transfer can be induced by altering problem-solving heuristics.
    • Experiencing failure with a specific constraint changes the chosen heuristic for subsequent problems.
    • This heuristic change benefits performance on both analogical and non-analogous target problems.