Structure mapping in the comparison process

Carrying out similarity and analogy comparisons can be modeled as the align ment and mapping of structured representations. In this article we focus on three aspects of comparison that are central in structure-mapping theory. All three are controversial. First, comparison involves structured represen tations. Second, the comparison process is driven by a preference for conne cted relational structure. Third, the mapping between domains is rooted in semantic similarity between the relations that characterize the domains. Fo r each of these points, we review supporting evidence and discuss some chal lenges raised by other researchers. We end with a discussion of the role of structure mapping in other cognitive processes.