Synonyms
Definition
A process of reasoning based on a similitude of relations which is perceived between the objects compared.
Introduction
Reasoning by analogy is one of the most complex forms of abstract thinking in humans. Consider the following analogy: the fish is to water what the bird is to air. To understand this analogy, one must first determine the relation between a first set of stimuli (i.e., the fish is in the water) and subsequently search for that same functional relation between the second set of stimuli (e.g., the bird is inthe air). In other words, this two-step process therefore requires that we first appreciate first-order relations (the fish:water and bird:air relations), and subsequently compare and judge the relation between these relations (second-order relation). This form of inferential process based on analogical reasoning is fundamental for a diversity of cognitive processes of considerable importance in humans,...
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References
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Fagot, J. (2017). Analogical Reasoning. In: Vonk, J., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1076-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1076-1
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