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 the way it is traditionally used. This mental block prevents individuals from imagining alternative uses for familiar objects, thereby hindering creative problem-solving. Functional fixedness often arises when people become overly familiar with an object's standard function, making it difficult to perceive its other potential applications. Overcoming this bias requires deliberate effort to think beyond conventional uses.

Professor: Let me give you an example from a classic 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 it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many people tried to tack the candle directly to the wall or melt wax to stick it, but failed. The solution was to empty the thumbtack box, tack it to the wall as a platform, and then place the candle inside. However, most participants couldn't see the box as anything but a container for tacks. They were fixated on its usual function. Once someone pointed out the box could serve as a shelf, they immediately solved the problem. This shows how functional fixedness blocks creativity.