The Sources of Children's Errors during Nonisomorphic Analogical Transfer: Script Theory and Structure Mapping Theory

Nonisomorphic analogical transfer and procedural change were examined among 96 second and third graders. Hybrid versions of missionaries/cannibals and jealous husbands problems were used to provide three acquisition and two transfer tasks that were combined factorially, yielding six combinations. New constraints were added in transfer that altered the problem space and complicated the task. The amount of base modification that was required in transfer varied across conditions. In each condition the children were quite adept at applying their base to a nonisomorphic target at most choice points, despite the differences in problem descriptions, constraints, and problem spaces. For example, their response times on the first two moves in transfer were comparable to those obtained in isomorphic transfer. However, on specific moves that required base modification many of the children appeared confused, making two or more consecutive errors. The source of the errors seemed to stem from an inability of the children in some conditions to incorporate additional constraints into the structure of their existing base.