托福口语 Task 3

In psychology, the concept of 'functional fixedness' refers to the tendency to perceive an object only in terms of its most common use, thereby limiting the ability to see alternative functions. This cognitive bias prevents individuals from solving problems creatively because they cannot break away from familiar associations. Overcoming functional fixedness requires reimagining objects beyond their typical purposes, which is essential for innovative problem-solving.

Professor: Let me illustrate functional fixedness with a classic experiment. Participants were given a box of tacks, a candle, and a match, and asked to attach the candle to the wall so it could burn without dripping wax. Most struggled. They tried nailing the candle to the wall or melting wax to stick it, all failed. The solution? Empty the tack box, tack it to the wall as a platform, then place the candle inside. The participants failed because they saw the box only as a container for tacks, not as a potential shelf. Once they realized the box could serve a different function, the problem was easily solved. This shows how our fixed mental set can block creative solutions.