The development and training of analogical reasoning in young
children was examined in a sieries of three studies.Subjects
ranged in age from 4 to 6 years.The problem was novel uses of
familiar tools.The data suggested that in easy tool use task,
young children could use analogies to solve problems.They could
transfer structural information from a known base(or source)
story to a new known target story without or with hint.But when
the task was difficult,their ability to generate a solution
decreased.The use of many worked base stories could facilitate
the acquisition of the common rule underlying analogical
problem -solving.So the best way to study was to provide
children many worked examples,and leave them to formate the
common rule. Children could generate the analogous solutions
themselves.