The Past in the Present—The Role of Analogical Reasoning in Epistemic Learning About How to Tackle Complex Policy Problems.

This article unpacks the role that analogical reasoning plays in epistemic learning, helping actors identify and evaluate what solutions can be used to fix complex, high‐stakes policy problems. Based on recent research in cognitive psychology, we develop a two‐stage analogical reasoning model of lea...

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Published in:Policy Studies Journal Vol. 49; no. 2; pp. 457 - 484
Main Authors: Beach, Derek, Schäfer, David, Smeets, Sandrino
Format: Article
Published: Wiley-Blackwell May2021
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: May2021
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      pub: Wiley-Blackwell
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        10.1111/psj.12372
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        atl: The Past in the Present—The Role of Analogical Reasoning in Epistemic Learning About How to Tackle Complex Policy Problems.
      aug:
        au:
          Beach, Derek
          Schäfer, David
          Smeets, Sandrino
      su:
        European Central Bank
        Government policy
        Learning
        Policy sciences
        Experience
        Reasoning
        Cognitive psychology
      sug:
        subj:
          Government policy
          Learning
          Policy sciences
          Experience
          European Central Bank
          Reasoning
          Cognitive psychology
      keyword:
        analogical reasoning
        epistemic learning
        policy learning
        Aprendizaje de políticas
        aprendizaje epistémico
        razonamiento analógico
        政策学习
        类比推理
        认识论学习
        analogical reasoning
        epistemic learning
        policy learning
        Aprendizaje de políticas
        aprendizaje epistémico
        razonamiento analógico
        政策学习
        类比推理
        认识论学习
      ab: This article unpacks the role that analogical reasoning plays in epistemic learning, helping actors identify and evaluate what solutions can be used to fix complex, high‐stakes policy problems. Based on recent research in cognitive psychology, we develop a two‐stage analogical reasoning model of learning in which core causal lessons are transferred to the current target case, but where contextual differences are also discounted. The result is the restriction of the set of solutions considered in a policy debate to those that have positive source cases associated with them, and no compelling negative source cases. In the Banking Union case study assessed in this article, we provide evidence that analogical reasoning did play an important role in setting the parameters of the debates. The article concludes with a call for policy analysts to pay more attention to how comparisons with the past structure policy debates.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Article
      src: R
    language: English
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