El Papel de la Complejidad Relacional y de los Términos Utilizados en la Recuperación Analógica.

The role of the terms used in analogical retrieval when examining domains of different relational complexity is analyzed by means of two experiments. Convenience sampling was used to recruit preservice teachers from the Faculty of Teacher Education of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 60 of whom participated voluntarily in each experiment. In the first experiment, texts with cartoons containing complex relationships of causal circularity were presented. We manipulated, between-subject, the use of the terms analogous or similar when asking participants to retrieve the cartoons and, within-subject, the type of similarity (superficial or structural). The χ² test revealed that, when faced with relations with causal circularity, participants use structural and superficial similarity equally when retrieving. Moreover, when asked in terms of analogy, more circular sources were retrieved. In the second experiment, we manipulated, also between-subject, the use of the same terms when asking about relationally less complex analogues, whose relations were of unidirectional causality; within-subject, we manipulated the type of similarity. Using the χ² test, a greater number of retrievals based on superficial similarity (pseudoanalogues) were found. Likewise, no differences were found in retrieval based on the terms used in the question. These results support a hierarchical conception in line with the cognitive complexity and control theory proposed by Zelazo and Frye (1997). They also suggest that more complex relationships can have a constricting effect on less complex ones, in line with the findings of Catrambone (2002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]