Acta Psychologica Sinica

Abstract

The influence of the different superficial similarities between the new problem and the earlier example, with or without the same principle, on the analogy transfer were studied. In Experiment 1, the subjects were asked to learn the examples on the probability and solve the new problems which were similar in varying degree in superficial contents with the examples. The result showed: (1) The superficial similarities had great advance in solving the new problem when the new problem and the earlier example had the same principle. The similarity in superficial line would accelerate the subjects to classify the new problem, and the similarity in superficial correspondence would accelerate the subjects to make correct use of the formula. (2) When the new problem and the earlier example had different principle, the similarities in the superficial contents of both would have a negative transfer in classifying the new problem. In Experiment 2, the subjects were given a cue to pay attention to the principle of the problems before they solved the new problems. The results showed that the subject would be accelerated to carry on the inner analogy and raise their performance. According to the results, it was proved preliminarily that it was an important factor influencing the level of analogy transfer whether the subjects had the tendency to analogizing according to the inner principle.

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