Development of Analogical Reasoning: A Novel Perspective From Cross‐Cultural Studies. (4th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christie, Stella; Gao, Yang; Ma, Qiuchen
• Is Part Of: Child development perspectives. Volume 14:Number 3(2020)
• Page Start: 164
• Page End: 170
• Publication Date: 2020-08-04
• Subjects: analogy -- cross‐cultural development -- learning -- cognitive development; Child development -- Periodicals; 302.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12380
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-8592

Abstract

Abstract: Analogical reasoning allows children to generate new abstractions from experience, which drives early learning. But our current understanding of analogical learning is based primarily on evidence from the West, and new data from Asia seem to call into question that information. In this article, we describe our finding that East Asian children do not share their Western peers' strong bias for object similarity—often cited as the major reason for difficulties in relational reasoning. We analyze how this difference affects the ways analogy shapes learning in different cultures, such as what children use as base analogs and their likelihood of using comparison that results in relational abstraction. We also address cross‐cultural differences, which are evident in classroom contexts, since teachers from the United States and East Asia use analogy differently. Overall, cross‐cultural data are necessary to answer critical questions in theories of analogical learning; in this article, we chart pressing research questions and look ahead at directions for the field.