托福口语 Task 3

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 seeing alternative uses for familiar objects, thereby hindering problem-solving and creativity. Functional fixedness is often cited in psychology as a barrier to innovation, as people become 'fixed' on the typical function of an item and fail to repurpose it for novel solutions.

Professor: Let me illustrate this with a classic experiment. In the study, participants were given a candle, a box of thumbtacks, and a book of matches. Their task was to attach the candle to a wall so that it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many struggled. They tried to melt wax to stick the candle, or tack the candle directly, but nothing worked. The solution was to empty the tack box, tack it to the wall, and use it as a platform for the candle. The problem was that participants saw the box only as a container for tacks, not as a potential shelf. They were functionally fixed on the box's typical purpose. Once they overcame that mental block, the solution was simple.