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Generalizing solutions across functionally similar problems correlates with world knowledge and working memory in 2.5- to 4.5-year-olds

Bobrowicz, Katarzyna LU orcid ; Sahlström, Johan ; Thorstensson, Klara ; Nagy, Brigitta and Psouni, Elia LU orcid (2022) In Cognitive Development 62.
Abstract
Analogical transfer, denoting the ability to use an action that solved a given problem in order to successfully handle a seemingly different but functionally similar problem, requires well- developed self-regulation, as it draws on previous knowledge and demands selecting and shift- ing between relevant features while ignoring irrelevant ones. Thus, analogical transfer involves executive functions (EFs), yet the contribution of specific EFs is unclear, particularly during the development of the capacity before the age of 5. Here, for the first time, we investigated the contribution of world knowledge, working memory and set-shifting in 2.5- to 4.5-year-olds’ (N = 86) capacity to single-event analogical transfer in a simple, non-verbal,... (More)
Analogical transfer, denoting the ability to use an action that solved a given problem in order to successfully handle a seemingly different but functionally similar problem, requires well- developed self-regulation, as it draws on previous knowledge and demands selecting and shift- ing between relevant features while ignoring irrelevant ones. Thus, analogical transfer involves executive functions (EFs), yet the contribution of specific EFs is unclear, particularly during the development of the capacity before the age of 5. Here, for the first time, we investigated the contribution of world knowledge, working memory and set-shifting in 2.5- to 4.5-year-olds’ (N = 86) capacity to single-event analogical transfer in a simple, non-verbal, tool-use task. Analogical transfer was independent of age but was predicted by a measure of world knowledge and a measure of working memory across the age-span tested. Our results suggest that world knowledge and working memory underscore analogical transfer early in development. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
World knowledge, working memory, Set-shifting, Analogical transfer, Toddler development
in
Cognitive Development
volume
62
article number
101181
pages
12 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85129500041
ISSN
0885-2014
DOI
10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101181
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
873f3670-f37a-4fc7-85df-4446ae6d84c5
date added to LUP
2022-04-21 12:30:16
date last changed
2024-02-02 01:07:40
@article{873f3670-f37a-4fc7-85df-4446ae6d84c5,
  abstract     = {{Analogical transfer, denoting the ability to use an action that solved a given problem in order to successfully handle a seemingly different but functionally similar problem, requires well- developed self-regulation, as it draws on previous knowledge and demands selecting and shift- ing between relevant features while ignoring irrelevant ones. Thus, analogical transfer involves executive functions (EFs), yet the contribution of specific EFs is unclear, particularly during the development of the capacity before the age of 5. Here, for the first time, we investigated the contribution of world knowledge, working memory and set-shifting in 2.5- to 4.5-year-olds’ (N = 86) capacity to single-event analogical transfer in a simple, non-verbal, tool-use task. Analogical transfer was independent of age but was predicted by a measure of world knowledge and a measure of working memory across the age-span tested. Our results suggest that world knowledge and working memory underscore analogical transfer early in development.}},
  author       = {{Bobrowicz, Katarzyna and Sahlström, Johan and Thorstensson, Klara and Nagy, Brigitta and Psouni, Elia}},
  issn         = {{0885-2014}},
  keywords     = {{World knowledge; working memory; Set-shifting; Analogical transfer; Toddler development}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{04}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Cognitive Development}},
  title        = {{Generalizing solutions across functionally similar problems correlates with world knowledge and working memory in 2.5- to 4.5-year-olds}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101181}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101181}},
  volume       = {{62}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}