WHAT RESPONSES TO DOMAIN-SPECIFIC ANALOGY PROBLEMS REVEAL ABOUT EMERGING COMPETENCE - A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE

The authors conducted 2 studies to investigate the categorization of s tudents' correct and incorrect responses to domain-specific analogy pr oblems. In Study 1, participants were 6th graders who generated answer s to classical analogy problems in the domain of human biology (e.g., cabin:log::skeleton:_). Study 2 focused on the analogical problem solv ing of undergraduates working in the domain of educational psychology. The basis for categorizing responses in both studies was a 7-level hi erarchical response model proposed by P.A. Alexander (1990). Cross-stu dy results provided support for the response categories and for their hierarchical nature. Study 1 indicated that students' answers to analo gies were nonrandom in that there were within-subject error preference s. In Study 2, student responses reflected training in domain concepts and strategic processes, and the direction of changes matched expecta tions of the ordered hierarchical response scheme.