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 problem-solving. When faced with a novel challenge, people often fail to see beyond an object's conventional function, even when a creative solution is possible. Overcoming functional fixedness requires flexible thinking and the ability to reframe an object's potential roles.

Professor: Let me illustrate this with a classic experiment. 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 properly. Many tried to nail the candle directly or melt wax to stick it, but failed. The solution was to empty the box, tack it to the wall, and use it as a shelf for the candle. The box was usually seen only as a container for tacks, not as a potential platform. This is functional fixedness—the participants couldn't think of the box in a new way. Once they overcame that mental block, the solution became obvious.