INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES IN TRANSFER VIA ANALOGY

This study examined the relative contribution of four individual diffe rence variables to ability to solve analogically related problems in f our separate problem sequences and for spontaneous and assisted transf er. Experiment 1 investigated the relationships between problem source s and targets, the familiarity of problem sources and targets, and the degree to which subjects spontaneously provided a particular solution to two target problems. Experiment 2 tested whether combinations of i ndividual difference variables served as significant predictors of pro blem solving success in four different source-target problem sequences . For both spontaneous and assisted transfer, the results indicated th at under certain circumstances different combinations of the individua l difference variables were contributing to ability to predict whether a subject would provide a particular solution to a target problem. Th e results are discussed in terms of why the individual difference vari ables enhance prediction for transfer only under certain conditions.