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. When faced with a problem, individuals often fail to see alternative functions for familiar objects, which hinders creative problem-solving. This mental set can be overcome by consciously thinking about an object's properties rather than its usual purpose.

Professor: Let me give you an example from a classic psychology experiment. Participants were given a box of thumbtacks, a candle, and a matchbox, and asked 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 tacks. But the solution was to empty the box, tack it to the wall, and use it as a platform for the candle. Those who succeeded had overcome functional fixedness by reimagining the box's purpose. The key was focusing on its flat, sturdy surface rather than its role as a holder.