Comment on Wakebe et al. (2015)

Abstract

A prior study by Wakebe, Hidaka, and Watamura, exploring the role of processing demands in analogical reasoning, showed that presenting a target problem in a foreign language decreases analogical problem-solving ability in a resource-independent manner. The present commentary, however, describes several factors that can affect the ability to draw analogies precisely by reducing processing resources, including working memory, executive functions, and relational knowledge. In future studies, it would therefore be interesting to ascertain whether the observed differences are due solely to the presentation of the target problem in a foreign language or also to the aforementioned factors.