Adults’ Understanding of Analogy-based Exhibits in an Interactive Science Museum

Abstract

This study analyses how adult visitors understood three different types of analogy-based exhibits in an interactive science museum and the factors affecting that understanding. 84 visitors were observed during their interaction and interviewed immediately afterwards. Results suggest that few visitors understood a target domain at a scientifically accepted level. The exhibit that “only shows similarities between relationships” was the most difficult to understand. Understanding occurred by triggering prior knowledge, by text comprehension, and by analogical reasoning. Analogical reasoning often failed because a source domain was unfamiliar, source and target were superficially dissimilar, some elements of the source were emphasised in relation to others in the exhibit design, or misconceptions about the target were retrieved. Finally, suggestions for the design of analogy-based exhibits are provided