Implementation of structure-mapping inference by event-file binding and action planning: a model of tool-improvisation analogies.
Structure-mapping inferences are generally regarded as dependent upon relational concepts that are understood and expressible in language by subjects capable of analogical reasoning. However, tool-improvisation inferences are executed by members of a variety of non-human primate and other species. Tool improvisation requires correctly inferring the motion and force-transfer affordances of an object; hence tool improvisation requires structure mapping driven by relational properties. Observational and experimental evidence can be interpreted to indicate that structure-mapping analogies in tool improvisation are implemented by multi-step manipulation of event files by binding and action-planning mechanisms that act in a language-independent manner. A functional model of language-independent event-file manipulations that implement structure mapping in the tool-improvisation domain is developed. This model provides a mechanism by which motion and force representations commonly employed in tool-improvisation structure mappings may be sufficiently reinforced to be available to inwardly directed attention and hence conceptualization. Predictions and potential experimental tests of this model are outlined.
Fields
Chris
C
Apdo. 363-4013, Atenas 20501, Costa Rica. fieldsres@gmail.com
D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*