TOEFLスピーキング 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 seeing alternative uses for familiar objects, thereby hindering problem-solving. Functional fixedness often arises when people become accustomed to an object's typical function and fail to consider novel applications, even when such applications could solve a problem effectively. Overcoming this bias requires creative thinking and the ability to break away from conventional associations.

Professor: So, let me give you a classic example from a study. 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. Most people tried to tack the candle directly to the wall or melt wax to stick it, but neither worked. The solution was to empty the thumbtack box, tack it to the wall as a platform, and place the candle inside. The problem? People saw the box only as a container for thumbtacks, not as a potential shelf. They were stuck because they couldn't think beyond the box's usual function. Once they realized the box could be used differently, the problem was easily solved. This illustrates how functional fixedness blocks creative solutions.