DAVAO CENTRAL COLLEGE, INC.

Juan dela Cruz Street, Toril, Davao City

Landline No. (082) 291 1882
Accredited by ACSCU-ACI

Week 4

Unit 2: Analogical Processes

Topic: Analogical Reasoning

Learning Outcomes:
1. Define Analogical Reasoning
2. Create an analogy of the given domain.

Concept Digest (Discussion)

Analogical Processes

Reasoning and problem-solving have one thing in common- they

involve metacognitive tasks and structures. It is for this
reason that we need to understand the role of analogical
processes in the transfer of learning.

An analogue is a referent or equivalent cognitive information

in the brain that can easily be accessed or mapped when
needed. Analogical process or thinking refers to our ability
to perceive and use relational similarity.

Sometimes called analogical reasoning, it is a kind of

thinking in which we identify similarities between current
information and the information acquired in the past.

Analogical processes include the following:

 Retrieval – prior similar or analogous material may be
retrieved from long-term memory system
 Mapping – involves discovering which elements of the
novel problem correspond to elements in the stored
analogue; representational structures must be aligned
with each other.
 Access – involves retrieval of a familiar analogue or
other information from long-term memory when presented
with a novel problem.
 Abstraction – refers to the formation of general ideas
about the problem
 Representation – involves the adaptation of one or both
representations to improve the match
 Evaluation – involves at least three kinds of judgment:
(1) structural soundness, (2) factual correctness and
3(3) relevance

Analogical Reasoning is a method of information processing

that requires the comparison of related features between the
old and new concepts. Information processing develops by
identifying the new idea to be learned (target domain). It

PED 6/ PED 6A Prepared by: Sheila T. Caguimbal

1
 DAVAO CENTRAL COLLEGE, INC.
Juan dela Cruz Street, Toril, Davao City
Landline No. (082) 291 1882
Accredited by ACSCU-ACI

is then compared to an idea that is already well understood

(general matching domain). The two domains must contain
similarities for a valid, substantial comparison. When the
new information is learned, transfer of learning follows.

Examples of Analogical Reasoning

1. Since Bob does not enjoy the taste of lettuce, Bob does
not think he will enjoy the taste of spinach either,
because both lettuce and spinach are leafy greens, are
healthy and are both used to make salads
2. Your short-term memory is like the RAM on a computer:
it records the information in front of you right now.
Some of what you experience seems to evaporate--like
words that go missing when you turn off your computer
without hitting SAVE. But other short-term memories go
through a molecular process called consolidation:
they're downloaded onto the hard drive. These long-
term memories, filled with past loves and losses and
fears, stay dormant until you call them up.

References:
 Aquino, Avelina M. (2nd Edition) (2015). Facilitating
Human Learning, Rex Printing, Quezon City
 https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-an-analogy-1691878

PED 6/ PED 6A Prepared by: Sheila T. Caguimbal

2