Analogical reasoning in students with moderate intellectual disability: Reasoning capacity limitations or memory overload?

Abstract

Analogical reasoning is a central part of intelligence and a prerequisite for the transfer of learning. The capacity to profit from help in analogical reasoning is a promising predictor for cognitive intervention in special education. However, static analogical reasoning tests do not foster the information needed for the planning of such intervention. Unfortunately, there still is a lack of standardised dynamic instruments for individuals with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities (ID). We therefore developed the Analogical Reasoning Learning Test (ARLT), which is a standardised dynamic procedure in multiple-choice format. In the ARLT, only one-third of the students with moderate ID are able to solve more complex tasks. This conforms with the generally accepted belief that the majority of these students are not able to solve complex analogies. However, qualitative analyses indicate that these students may not have that much a problem with analogical thinking as a problem of memory overload. In order to test the memory overload hypothesis, a series of analogical matrices were constructed (CAM) that prevent memory overload. With this new arrangement 13 out of 15 students who were not able to solve any of the three items of second level complexity in the ARLT were able to solve at least one item of second or higher complexity level on the CAM without help. Some consequences for special educational practice are suggested.