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. This mental block prevents individuals from seeing alternative uses for familiar items, thereby hindering problem-solving and creative thinking. Overcoming functional fixedness often requires a shift in perspective, allowing one to perceive objects in novel ways to solve unique challenges.

Professor: Let me illustrate this with a classic experiment. Participants were given a box of tacks, a candle, and a book of matches, and were asked to attach the candle to a wall so it could burn properly. Many struggled because they only saw the tack box as a container for tacks. They tried tacking the candle directly to the wall or melting wax, but failed. The solution was to empty the box, tack it to the wall as a shelf, and place the candle on it. Those who succeeded had to overcome functional fixedness—they recognized the box could serve as a platform, not just a holder. This shows how breaking mental assumptions leads to effective problem-solving.