托福口语 Task 3

The concept of 'functional fixedness' refers to the tendency to perceive an object only in terms of its most common use, thereby limiting our ability to think of alternative functions. This cognitive bias can hinder problem-solving, as individuals fail to see how a familiar item might be repurposed to solve a novel challenge. Overcoming functional fixedness often requires creative thinking and a deliberate effort to consider unconventional uses for everyday objects.

Professor: Let me give you an example from my own research. In a classic experiment, participants were given a box of thumbtacks, a candle, and a book of matches, and asked to attach the candle to a wall so it could burn properly. Many struggled because they saw the box only as a container for the tacks. However, the solution was to empty the box, tack it to the wall, and use it as a shelf for the candle. Those who solved it had to overcome functional fixedness by thinking of the box not just as a holder, but as a platform. In a follow-up, when the tacks were presented separately from the box, more participants solved it, because the box was no longer 'fixed' as a container in their minds.