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 alternative uses for familiar items, thereby hindering problem-solving and creativity. When faced with a new challenge, people often overlook novel solutions because they are fixated on an object's standard function. Overcoming functional fixedness requires flexible thinking and the ability to reframe an object's purpose in a new context.

Professor: Let me give you an example from a classic 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 struggled because they saw the box only as a container for the tacks. But the solution was to empty the box, tack it to the wall as a shelf, and place the candle on it. In another group, the same items were presented with the tacks already removed from the box, and these participants solved the problem much faster. Why? Because when the box was empty, they could see it as a potential platform, not just a holder. This shows how functional fixedness can block creative solutions.