托福口语 Task 3

In psychology, the concept of 'functional fixedness' refers to the tendency of individuals to perceive objects only in their conventional or typical functions, which hinders their ability to use those objects in novel or creative ways to solve problems. This cognitive bias limits problem-solving flexibility because people become 'fixed' on the standard use of an item, overlooking alternative applications that might be more effective in a given situation. Overcoming functional fixedness often requires a conscious effort to think beyond familiar associations.

Professor: So, let me give you an example. In a classic experiment, participants were asked to attach a candle to a wall so that it would not drip wax on the floor. They were given a box of tacks, matches, and a candle. Many participants tried to tack the candle directly to the wall or melt wax to stick it, but they failed. The solution was to empty the tack box, tack it to the wall as a platform, and place the candle on top. Why was this hard? Because the participants saw the box only as a container for tacks, not as a potential shelf. That's functional fixedness—they couldn't see the box's alternative function. Once someone suggested using the box as a platform, the problem became easy.