Generating solutions to far analogies makes individuals tend to categorize information based on thematic relations.

Abstract

This study aimed to explore whether solving distant analogies makes individuals tend to categorize information based on either taxonomic or thematic relations. In the study, one group of participants solved far analogies (far analogy group), while another group solved near analogies (near analogy group). Then, all participants completed the triad task which is the task of measuring the propensity to classify. The research findings revealed that, regardless of whether the object of classification was the artifact or natural object, the far analogy group exhibited a higher percentage of thematic responses than the near analogy and control group in the triad task. The present study demonstrated that solving far analogies could make individuals tend to categorize information based on thematic relations.