托福口语 Task 3

In psychology, the concept of 'functional fixedness' refers to the tendency to perceive objects only in terms of their most common use, thereby limiting creative problem-solving. When individuals are fixated on an object’s typical function, they fail to see alternative ways it could be employed to solve a novel problem. This cognitive bias can hinder innovation and adaptability, as it prevents the brain from reimagining familiar items in new contexts. Overcoming functional fixedness often requires deliberate effort to shift one’s mental set.

Professor: Let me give you a classic example. In an experiment, 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 people tried to tack the candle directly to the wall, or melt wax to stick it—but these failed. The solution was to empty the thumbtack box, tack it to the wall as a small platform, and place the candle inside it. However, most participants didn’t think of using the box because they saw it only as a container for thumbtacks, not as a potential shelf. That’s functional fixedness in action—they were stuck on the box’s typical function.