A Study on Noninsight Problems, Insight Problems, and the Rorschach Test

The problem solving literature distinguishes between routine (or noninsight) and nonroutine (or insight) problems. When solving a noninsight problem, the problem solver immediately recognizes a solution method that he or she already knows, and subsequently reaches the solution through algorithmic analysis and step-by-step processing. On the contrary, in insight problems the problem solver must overcome the familiar way of looking at the problem and invent a novel approach. Thus, when a person can solve insight problems he or she performs his or her creativity. According to a recently proposed theoretical approach, the Rorschach Inkblot Method (RIT) can be seen as a complex visual-spatial problem solving task. For this reason, one may expect some RIT variables to be related to the ability to solve insight and noninsight spatial problems. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a number of recently developed RPAS variables (e.g., White Space Integration, Synthesis, Complexity) relates to the ability to solve some insight and noninsight problems taken from the problem solving literature. An experimental approach was adopted. First, the participants (40 Italian college students) were asked to solve a set of noninsight problems. Then, they received a training in how to solve either verbal (i.e., contrast condition) or spatial (i.e., experimental condition) insight problems. After that, they were exposed to a number of insight problems. In the end, they were all administered the Rorschach test according to the R-PAS guidelines. We predicted that a subset or Rorschach variables would be associated with the number of problems correctly solved, and with the type of training received. The results confirmed our hypotheses only partially.