ABSTRACT
The theory of human problem-solving makes reference to an information-processing system, the problem solver, confronted by a task. Gestalt psychologists saw problem-solving in a very different way. For them the process is characterised by individuals reconstituting or shifting around elements of the problem mentally until they have a “Eureka!” moment where they suddenly “get it”. The chapter considers the Hanoi Tower problem, where there are a number of circular blocks and three pegs and the aim is to move all the blocks to the right peg in their current order but only moving one block at a time, and the final kick in the teeth. If there are four blocks, most humans can eventually solve this problem through trial and error. However, a key element of success in solving this problem is not searching the entire problem space, but rather searching within a smaller, pre-defined area that is much more manageable and likely to produce a solution.
