Analogical Model

Simplify Complex Ideas with Metaphorical Comparisons

Analogical Model

(Conceptual Model or Scientific Metaphor)

Definition: A multimodal metaphor used to simplify complex ideas and relate difficult concepts to everyday experience. Analogical reasoning uses conceptual models to associate complex ideas with familiar contexts, making scientific, technical, and highly nuanced information accessible and more relatable to diverse audiences.

Analogical models: Used to draw parallels between a scientific concept and a simpler, familiar idea.
Explanatory analogies: Highlight similarities to clarify or enhance understandi
Thought experiments: Hypothetical scenarios that serve as metaphoric explanations.

Examples of Analogical Reasoning

Market as an Ecosystem: A market is likened to an ecosystem where businesses (species) compete for resources, adapt to changes, and form symbiotic or competitive relationships. (Economics)
Computer as a Brain: A computer is compared to a brain, with the CPU acting as the "thinking" part and memory serving as "short-term and long-term storage." (Technology)
Story Structure as a Journey: A story’s progression is likened to a journey, with characters encountering obstacles (conflicts), milestones (plot points), and destinations (resolutions). (Literature)
Memory as a Filing Cabinet: Human memory is compared to a filing cabinet where information is stored in folders (categories) and retrieved when needed. (Psychology)
Organization as a Machine: A business organization is likened to a machine, where different departments and employees act as gears, working together to produce an output. (Business)
Plato's "Allegory of the Cave": Knowledge and learning is compared to prisoners identifying shadows in a cave, which illustrates the journey from ignorance to enlightenment. (Education)

Examples in Natural Science

Below is a list of scientific analogical models used by professionals in various fields of natural science.

Physics

Atom as a Solar System
- Electrons orbiting the nucleus are likened to planets orbiting the sun.
Wave-Particle Duality as a Water Wave
- Light's behavior is compared to water waves to explain interference and diffraction.
Electric Current as Water Flow
- Electric current through a circuit is analogized to water flowing through pipes.
Einstein’s Fabric of Spacetime
- Gravity is compared to a heavy ball deforming a stretched rubber sheet.

Chemistry

Chemical Bonding as Velcro
- Molecular bonds are likened to Velcro strips attaching objects together.
Mole as a Dozen
- A mole (Avogadro's number) is explained using the familiar concept of a dozen (12 items).
Catalysts as Traffic Cops
- Catalysts are compared to traffic controllers speeding up the flow of vehicles without being consumed.
Ionic Bonds as Magnet Attraction
- The attraction between positively and negatively charged ions is likened to magnets sticking together.

Biology

Cell as a Factory
- The cell is compared to a factory, where organelles serve as specialized machinery performing tasks.
Enzymes as Locks and Keys
- Enzymes and their specific substrates are likened to locks and matching keys.
DNA as a Blueprint
- DNA is described as a blueprint containing instructions for building an organism.
Nervous System as an Electrical Grid
- The nervous system is compared to an electrical grid transmitting signals.

Earth Science

Earth’s Layers as an Onion
- The Earth's core, mantle, and crust are likened to the layers of an onion.
Plate Tectonics as a Jigsaw Puzzle
- The Earth's lithosphere is compared to a puzzle with pieces (plates) that move and interact.
Water Cycle as a Money System
- The continuous movement of water is likened to the flow of money in an economy (stored, exchanged, and reused).
Greenhouse Effect as a Blanket
- The atmosphere trapping heat is compared to a blanket retaining body heat.

Astronomy

Black Hole as a Vacuum Cleaner
- A black hole is described as a vacuum cleaner sucking in everything nearby.
Expansion of the Universe as Rising Dough
- The universe’s expansion is compared to raisins moving apart in rising dough.
Gravity as a Rubber Band
- Gravitational force is likened to the elastic pull of a stretched rubber band.
Comet as a Dirty Snowball
- Comets are compared to snowballs made of dust and ice.

Interdisciplinary Examples

Genes as a Recipe Book
- Genes are compared to a cookbook, with each recipe representing instructions for making proteins.
Ecosystem as a Web
- Interconnected species are likened to strands in a web, where one break can affect the entire system.
Climate System as a Thermostat
- The climate system is likened to a thermostat regulating Earth’s temperature.
Light Spectrum as a Rainbow
- The visible spectrum of light is compared to the colors in a rainbow.

Multimodal Scientific Analogies

(Ideas Explained with Conceptual Models)

Highly effective analogical models often combine text, visuals, audio, and interactivity to communicate and persuade specific non-scientific audiences.