Cognitive Perspective
-In a 2004 study, a group of American students and a group of Chinese students were told the following story: A treasure hunter is going to explore a cave on a hill near a beach. He suspected there might be many paths inside the cave so he was afraid he might get lost. Obviously, he did not have a map of the cave; all that he had with him were come common items such as a flashlight and a bag. What could he do to make sure he did not get lost trying to get out of the cave later? The majority of Chinese students were unable to solve this problem. However, the majority of American students solved the problem easily, drawing on their memory of the folktale Hansel and Gretel. What problem solving strategy did the American students use to solve this problem?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An analogy occurs when a comparison is made between two things based on similarities. This is often used as a strategy for solving problems. In this example, the American students were able to find similarities between the problem presented and a story they were familiar with from childhood. Seeing that the problems were similar, they believed they could be solved in the same way. The Chinese students, who had no analogy to draw from, had a more difficult time solving the problem.

Cognitive Perspective -In a 2004 Study, a Group of American Students and Students