Biomaterial Database

Accessing source information in analogical problem-solving. 2001

L Anolli, and A Antonietti, and L Crisafulli, and M Cantoia

Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Largo Gemelli 1, 20123 Milano, Italy.

Several studies showed that people presented with source information fail to apply it to an analogous target problem unless they are instructed to use the source. Seven experiments were carried out to assess whether such a lack of spontaneous transfer occurs because individuals do not activate the source during the target task or because they do not realize the source-target relationship. Experiment 1 compared a condition in which the source was activated with no cue about the source-target connection to conditions in which subjects were informed about this connection. Results suggested that the lack of spontaneous transfer does not depend on failure in activating source information. Experiments 2, 3, and 4 were devised to falsify this finding by activating the source closer and closer to the target and by focusing participants' attention toward the relevant aspects of the source. Experiments 5, 6, and 7 were aimed at stressing source-target correspondences by introducing surface similarities. All experiments showed that the mere activation of the source does not facilitate analogical transfer. Results suggested that two processes should be distinguished in the access phase of analogical problem-solving: Source retrieval and identification of the source-target connection.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011340	Problem Solving	A learning situation involving more than one alternative from which a selection is made in order to attain a specific goal.
D003210	Concept Formation	A cognitive process involving the formation of ideas generalized from the knowledge of qualities, aspects, and relations of objects.	Concept Acquisition,Concept Learning,Conceptualization,Acquisition, Concept,Acquisitions, Concept,Concept Acquisitions,Formation, Concept,Learning, Concept
D005260	Female		Females
D005793	Generalization, Psychological	The phenomenon of an organism's responding to all situations similar to one in which it has been conditioned.	Generalization (Psychology),Generalization, Psychology,Generalizations (Psychology),Generalizations, Psychological,Generalizations, Psychology,Psychological Generalization,Psychological Generalizations,Psychology Generalization,Psychology Generalizations
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D001245	Association Learning	The principle that items experienced together enter into a connection, so that one tends to reinstate the other.	Association Learnings,Learning, Association,Learnings, Association
D001288	Attention	Focusing on certain aspects of current experience to the exclusion of others. It is the act of heeding or taking notice or concentrating.	Focus of Attention,Selective Attention,Social Attention,Attention Focus,Attention, Selective,Attention, Social,Selective Attentions
D014163	Transfer, Psychology	Change in learning in one situation due to prior learning in another situation. The transfer can be positive (with second learning improved by first) or negative (where the reverse holds).	Transfer (Psychology),Transfer of Learning,Transfer of Training,Learning Transfer,Psychology Transfer,Psychology Transfers,Training Transfer,Transfers (Psychology),Transfers, Psychology