Abstract

For analogical transfer, we select and retrieve sources from our memory. Selecting a source involves competitive situation because great deal of information exists in our memory. Similarity between target and source problem determines which sources we will select. This study aims to know the effect of similarity on retrieval and transfer using analogy. Total 223 children, preschool, 1st grade, and 3rd grade of elementary school, participated in two related experiments. They took part in following procedures. First, Children learned various similar types of source stories in acquisition stage. Second, they listened to a target story and asked to remind analogically one from various sources. Later, they were directed to solve the problem in target story and to suggest reasons of own response. In experiment 1, 149 children heard 3types of source stories: structural, surface, and nonrelated similarity. After than they reminded one of the source stories cued by the target story and solved the problem. The result was that reminding structural source stories and success of analogical transfer increased with age. That is, retrieval of structural similarity facilitated analogical transfer and this trend improved with age. However, reminding of surface similarities could also increase analogical transfer if the children could supplement structural relation to their surface reminding.. Experimental 2 compared 74 children's performances in two conditions: in the one condition, structural, surface, and nonrelated similarity types were provided as source stories; in the other condition, overall, surface, and nonrelated similarity types were provided. Children performed better in retrieving of structural related source story and analogical transfer in condition that included overall similarity than in condition included structural similarity. Specially, preschoolers achieved nearly equal level of success of analogical retrieval and transfer to 1st-graders. These results through experiments indicated that structural retrieval made analogical transfer successful, and development of analogical transfer could facilitated by easy condition for retrieval of structural relation between the source and the target. These findings suggested the implication for memory retrieval model of analogy and educational practice using analogy.