Table 3.

Sequences of problem solving stages, their interpretation and the number of participants who had such a sequence.

	Sequence of problem solving stages	Interpretation	Number of participants	Conforms to the stage model of insight?	Sum
Solvers	Slope	Solved the task without impasse	8	Yes	19 solvers (49%)
	Slope—alternating gaps and plateaus—slope	Classic search—impasse—search sequence, with probably an insight before the second search stage	7	Yes
	Slope—alternating gaps and plateaus	Classic search—impasse—search sequence but the moves leading to the solution were already used before	4	Yes
	Other sequences with alternating slopes, gaps and plateaus	Recurrent search and impasse stages	20	No	20 solvers (51%)
Non-solvers	Slope—alternating gaps and plateaus	Search—impasse	7	Yes	8 non-solvers (13%)
	Plateau—slope—alternating gaps and plateaus	Search—impasse	1	Yes
	Slope	Search (probably gave up before reaching impasse)	1	No	54 non-solvers (87%)
	Other sequences with alternating slopes, gaps and plateaus	Recurrent search and impasse stages	53	No

The last column on the right summarizes how many solvers and non-solvers conformed (gray background) or did not conform (white background) to the stage model of insight.