Constructive Adaptive Visual Analogy

Abstract

Visual knowledge appears to be an important part of problem solving, but the role of visual knowledge in analogical problem solving is still somewhat mysterious. In this work I present the Constructive Adaptive Visual Analogy theory, which claims that visual knowledge is helpful for solving problems analogically and suggests a mechanism for how it might be accomplished. Through evaluations using an implemented computer program, cognitive models of some of the visual aspects of experimental participants, and a psychological experiment, I support four claims:

First, visual knowledge alone is sufficient for transfer of some problem solving procedures.

Second, visual knowledge facilitates transfer even when non-visual knowledge might be available.

Third, the successful transfer of strongly-ordered procedures in which new objects are created requires the reasoner to generate intermediate knowledge states and mappings between the intermediate knowledge states of the source and target analogs.

And finally, that visual knowledge alone is insufficient for evaluation of the results of transfer.