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 novel uses for familiar items. When faced with a problem, people often become fixated on an object’s standard function, which hinders creative problem-solving. Overcoming functional fixedness requires a shift in perspective, allowing one to repurpose objects in innovative ways to achieve a goal.

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. Their task was to attach the candle to a wall so that it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many struggled because they tried to tack the candle directly to the wall or melt wax to stick it. The solution was to empty the thumbtack box, tack it to the wall as a shelf, and place the candle inside. Those who saw the box only as a container for thumbtacks failed. But participants who realized the box could serve as a platform—a new function—solved it easily. This shows how breaking free from traditional uses enables creative solutions.