Positive and negative transfer in analogical problem solving by 6-year-old children

This study examined the relation between level of story representation (specific or abstract schema) and positive and negative analogical transfer and the effects of abstract schema training on problem solving in 6-year-olds. Subjects spontaneously transferred analogous solutions even when base and target problems shared few surface similarities. Abstract representation of the source analog was an important determinant of positive transfer; specific representations were not sufficient to facilitate generalization. Negative transfer occurred when the target problem involved a solution principle different from the base problems. Schema training markedly improved positive transfer; however, such training did not improve ability to discriminate the appropriateness of a solution principle in the negative training condition. The results indicate that both abstract representation of a solution principle and ability to determine when it should be applied are important aspects of effective transfer in problem solving.