Analogies

Abstract

Analogies contribute to many kinds of human thinking, including problem solving, decision making, explanation, persuasion, and entertainment. An analogy is a systematic comparison between a source analog and a target analog, where information about the source is used to generate inferences about the target. The major stages of analogical thinking are (a) obtaining a source analog by memory retrieval or other means, (b) mapping the source to the target, (c) adapting the source to inform the target, and (d) learning by generalizing source and target into a schema. Most theories of analogy have used verbal representations, but a much broader appreciation of analogical thinking can be gained with semantic pointers. Analogies often use words, but they can also operate with visual, auditory, and other sensory modalities, all of which can contribute to all stages of analogy.