An Analogical Model of Pretense. Issue 3 (16th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rabkina, Irina; Forbus, Kenneth D.
• Is Part Of: Cognitive science. Volume 46:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-03-16
• Subjects: Pretense -- Pretend play -- Analogy -- Cognitive modeling; Cognition -- Periodicals; Psycholinguistics -- Periodicals; Artificial intelligence -- Periodicals; 153.05
• DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13112
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0364-0213

Abstract

Abstract: We argue that pretense can be viewed as analogical projection: a structural comparison between the pretend scenario and its real‐world counterpart that leads to inferences about the pretend scenario. For example, in pretending to make a phone call with a banana, a number pad might be projected on the banana's surface. We model two empirical studies of early childhood pretense, and show how successful pretense requires making and accepting such inferences, while failed pretense can be traced to failure of such projection. Other models of pretense, both theoretical and computational, and their relationships to our model, are discussed.