Similarity and Analogical Reasoning

606 Pages·1989·9.63 MB·English

by  Stella Vosniadou

Similarity and analogical reasoning

Similarity and
analogical
reasoning
Edited by
STELLA VOSNIADOU
ANDREW ORTONY
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© Cambridge University Press 1989
First published 1989
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Similarity and analogical reasoning.
"Papers delivered at a Workshop on Similarity and
Analogy held at the Allerton House of the University of
Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in June 1986" - Pref.
1. Comparison (Psychology) - Congresses.
2. Similarity (Psychology) - Congresses. 3. Analogy-
Psychological aspects — Congresses. 4. Reasoning
(Psychology) - Congresses. 5. Learning, Psychology of -
Congresses. I. Vosniadou, Stella. II. Ortony, Andrew,
1942— . III. Workshop on Similarity and Analogy
(1986 : Allerton House)
BF446.S56 1989 153.4'3 88-11813
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
Similarity and analogical reasoning.
1. Analogical reasoning.
I. Vosniadou, Stella II. Ortony, Andrew
153'.4'3
ISBN 0-521-36295-4 hard covers
ISBN 0-521-38935-6 paperback
Transferred to digital printing 2003
Contents
Preface Page x*
List of contributors xiii
Similarity and analogical reasoning: a synthesis 1
STELLA VOSNIADOU and ANDREW ORTONY
Similarity and the structure of concepts 2
Analogical reasoning 6
Implications for instruction 13
Conclusion 15
Part I. Similarity and the structure of concepts 19
1 Similarity, typicality, and categorization 21
LANCE j. RIPS
The role of similarity in theories of categorization 23
Is similarity all there is to categorizing? 27
The independence of similarity and category judgments 38
Where did resemblance theory go wrong? 47
2 Similarity and decision making 60
EDWARD E. SMITH and DANIEL N. OSHERSON
The Kahneman &? Tver sky approach to decision making 61
Limitations of the Kahneman & Tver sky approach 62
A similarity model 63
Applications to decision making 66
Extensions of the model to choice 71
3 Intraconcept similarity and its implications for
interconcept similarity 76
LAWRENCE W. BARSALOU
Demonstrations of instability 77
Systematic assessments of instability 79
Sources of instability 86
vi Contents
A retrieval-based framework for dynamic knowledge
representation 93
Intraconcept similarity 101
Implications for interconcept similarity 106
Conclusion 114
4 Two-tiered concept meaning, inferential matching,
and conceptual cohesiveness 122
RYSZARD S. MICHALSKI
Introduction 122
Inference allows us to remember less and know more 123
Concept meaning is distributed between representation
and interpretation 128
Some other views on concept representation 135
The two-tiered representation can reduce memory needed:
an experiment 138
Conclusion 142
5 From global similarities to kinds of similarities: the
construction of dimensions in development 146
LINDA B. SMITH
Introduction 146
An analysis of relational concepts 149
Hypothesis and evidence 158
Putting it together: the relational knowledge system 170
Conclusion: relations, similarity, and analogy 173
6 Comments on Part I: Psychological essentialism 179
DOUGLAS MEDIN and ANDREW ORTONY
What is psychological essentialism? 183
Commentary 188
Conclusion 193
Part II. Analogical reasoning 197
7 The mechanisms of analogical learning 199
DEDRE GENTNER
Analogical mapping 200
Kinds of similarity 206
An architecture for analogical reasoning 215
Competing views and criticisms of structure-mapping 217
Psychological evidence for structure-mapping 221
Decomposing similarity 229
Contents vii
Implications for learning 231
Conclusion 233
8 A computational model of analogical problem solving 242
KEITH J. HOLYOAK and PAUL R. THAGARD
Design principles for a cognitive architecture 243
The architecture of PI 249
Analogical problem solving in PI 250
A computational framework for empirical findings 261
9 Use of analogy in a production system architecture 267
JOHN R. ANDERSON and ROSS THOMPSON
Introduction 267
The PUPS architecture 268
Analogy 271
Extending the analogy model 278
Comparison to related work 291
Conclusion 295
10 Toward a microstructural account of human
reasoning 298
DAVID E. RUMELHART
Parallel distributed processing 298
Reasoning by similarity 301
Mental models and mental simulation 306
Formal reasoning 307
Conclusion 311
11 Analogy and the exercise of creativity 313
PHILIP N. JOHNSON-LAIRD
Introduction 313
Transfer: an analogy that worked and an analogy that
failed 313
A formal theory of analogy 315
A factual theory of analogy 319
The interpretation of expository analogies 323
The discovery ofprofound analogies 324
Conclusion 328
12 Comments on Part II: Levels of description in
information-processing theories of analogy 332
STEPHEN E. PALMER
Informational constraints: What is an analogy? 333
Behavioral constraints: process models of analogical
thought 340
viii Contents
Hardware constraints: the microstructure of analogical
thought 342
Conclusion 344
13 Comments on Part II: The role of explanation in
analogy; or, The curse of an alluring name 346
GERALD DEJONG
Introduction 346
Commentaries 347
General discussion 357
Conclusion 363
Part III: Similarity and analogy in development,
learning, and instruction 367
14 Analogical learning and transfer: What develops? 369
ANN L. BROWN
Introduction 369
Learning, transfer, and development 371
Factors that affect flexible access to knowledge 386
Conclusion 406
15 Analogical reasoning as a mechanism in knowledge
acquisition: a developmental perspective 413
STELLA VOSNIADOU
Analogical reasoning: definitional issues 414
Using analogical reasoning 422
16 Remindings in learning and instruction 438
BRIAN H. ROSS
Remindings in learning 439
Remindings in instruction 462
Conclusion 465
17 New approaches to instruction: because wisdom can't
be told 470
JOHN D. BRANSFORD, JEFFERY J. FRANKS, NANCY J. VYE,
and ROBERT D. SHERWOOD
The problem of inert knowledge 471
Attempts to facilitate spontaneous access 476
Problem-oriented acquisition and issues of noticing 479
Implications for instruction 487
Conclusion 491
Contents ix
18 Multiple analogies for complex concepts: antidotes for
analogy-induced misconception in advanced
knowledge acquisition 498
RAND J. SPIRO, PAUL J. FELTOVICH, RICHARD L.
COULSON, and DANIEL K. ANDERSON
Overview 499
The perspective of advanced knowledge acquisition 500
The reductive force of analogy and analogy-induced
misconceptions 502
Antidotes for analogy-driven misconception: multiple
analogies and composite images 514
Conclusion 528
19 Comments on Part III: The activation and acquisition
of knowledge 532
WILLIAM F. BREWER
Introduction 532
Similarity 534
Knowledge 536
Development 539
Instruction 540
Conclusion 544
Afterword: Comments on Parts I, II, and III: A
framework for a theory of comparison and mapping 546
ALLAN COLLINS and MARK BURSTEIN
Types of correspondences 547
Contexts in which correspondences are formed 550
Issues for a theory of comparison and mapping 554
Conclusion 563
Name index 567
Subject index 575