托福口语 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, thereby preventing them from seeing its novel uses. This mental block often hinders problem-solving because individuals fail to transcend familiar functions. Overcoming functional fixedness requires creative thinking to repurpose objects in unconventional ways, which is essential for innovation and adaptability in various situations.

Professor: Let me illustrate this with an experiment. Participants were given a candle, a box of thumbtacks, 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 or melt wax to stick it, but nothing worked. The solution was to empty the tack box, tack it to the wall as a shelf, and place the candle inside. Those who succeeded saw the box not just as a container for tacks, but as a potential shelf. That's overcoming functional fixedness—seeing beyond the box's typical role. Those who failed were stuck because they only viewed the box as a holder for tacks.