THE SOURCES OF CHILDRENS ERRORS DURING NONISOMORPHIC ANALOGICAL TRANSFER - SCRIPT THEORY AND STRUCTURE MAPPING-THEORY

Nonisomorphic analogical transfer and procedural change were examined among 96 second and third graders. Hybrid versions of missionaries/can nibals and jealous husbands problems were used to provide three acquis ition and two transfer tasks that were combined factorially, yielding six combinations. New constraints were added in transfer that altered the problem space and complicated the task. The amount of base modific ation that was required in transfer varied across conditions. In each condition the children were quite adept at applying their base to a no nisomorphic target at most choice points, despite the differences in p roblem descriptions, constraints, and problem spaces. For example, the ir response times on the first two moves in transfer were comparable t o those obtained in isomorphic transfer. However, on specific moves th at required base modification many of the children appeared confused, making two or more consecutive errors. The source of the errors seemed to stem from an inability of the children in some conditions to incor porate additional constraints into the structure of their existing bas e. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.