Access to Structural Similarity in the Analogical Problem Solving of Children

Abstract

In this study of the access process in analogical problem solving, preschoolers, first graders and third graders repeatedly listened to a variety of similar types of source stories until they could recall them completely. They then listened to a target story, were asked to retrieve the source story, were directed to solve a problem in a target story and to verify their responses. We found the following developmental differences: (1) the child could not access structural similarity at all; or the child could not maintain it until he/she reached a solution to the problem; (2) the child did not access structural similarity at first, but he/she re-accessed it during later processes of problem solving; (3) the child accessed structural similarity from the first and was able to maintain it with sound analogy. We described hypothetical reasons for such differences in analogical problem solving and provided suggestions for further research.