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 the way it is traditionally used. This mental block prevents individuals from imagining alternative uses for familiar objects, thereby hindering problem-solving and creativity. Functional fixedness often occurs when people are so accustomed to an object's standard function that they fail to see its potential in new contexts. Overcoming this bias requires deliberate cognitive effort to reframe the problem and consider unconventional applications.

Professor: Now, let me give you a classic example from a study. Participants were given a box of thumbtacks, a candle, and a book of matches, and asked to attach the candle to a wall so that it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many struggled. They tried to tack the candle directly to the wall, or melt the wax to stick it, but nothing worked. The solution was to empty the thumbtack box, tack it to the wall as a shelf, and place the candle inside. The problem was that participants saw the box only as a container for thumbtacks, not as a potential platform. They were fixated on its usual function. Once they reframed the box as a shelf, the solution became obvious. This illustrates how functional fixedness blocks creative problem-solving.