TOEFLスピーキング Task 3

In psychology, the concept of 'functional fixedness' refers to a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in its traditional manner. When faced with a problem, individuals often fail to see alternative uses for familiar objects because their minds are fixed on the object's typical function. This rigidity can hinder creative problem-solving. Overcoming functional fixedness requires a mental shift to perceive objects beyond their conventional roles, enabling novel solutions to emerge.

Professor: Let me illustrate with a classic experiment. In the study, participants were given a box of thumbtacks, a candle, and a book of matches. Their task was to attach the candle to the wall so that it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many struggled. The solution was to empty the tack box, tack it to the wall as a platform, and place the candle inside it. But participants who received the tacks already in the box often failed because they saw the box only as a container. However, when the tacks were presented separately from the box, participants quickly realized the box could serve as a shelf. The difference was that they weren't stuck on the box's typical function as a holder. This shows how functional fixedness blocks insight.