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 novel or creative uses for familiar objects, thereby hindering problem-solving. Functional fixedness often occurs when people are so accustomed to an object's typical function that they overlook alternative applications, even when those alternatives could solve a problem more effectively. Overcoming this bias requires flexible thinking and the ability to reframe an object's purpose.

Professor: Let me give you an example from a classic experiment. Participants were given a box of thumbtacks, a candle, and a match, and asked to attach the candle to the wall so it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many struggled. They tried nailing the candle to the wall or melting the wax to stick it—none worked. The solution was to empty the thumbtack box, tack the box to the wall, and place the candle inside it. Why did they fail initially? Because they saw the box only as a container for tacks—that's functional fixedness. Once they reframed the box as a platform, the problem was solved. This shows how our typical assumptions about an object's use can block creative solutions.