托福口语 Task 3

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 seeing alternative uses for familiar objects, thereby hindering problem-solving and creativity. Functional fixedness often arises because people become accustomed to an object's standard function and fail to perceive it beyond that predefined role. Overcoming this bias requires deliberate effort to think flexibly and consider unconventional applications.

Professor: Let me give you an example from a classic psychology experiment. Participants were given a box of thumbtacks, a candle, and a match, and asked to attach the candle to a wall so it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many struggled because they saw the box only as a container for thumbtacks. They tried to tack the candle directly or melt wax to stick it, but failed. However, the solution was to empty the box, tack it to the wall as a platform, and place the candle inside. Only when participants realized the box could serve as a shelf, not just a container, did they succeed. This demonstrates how functional fixedness—seeing the box only in its typical role—prevented them from solving the problem quickly.