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. When people are confronted with a problem, they often fail to see alternative uses for familiar items because their minds are 'fixed' on the object's typical function. This rigidity can hinder problem-solving and creativity, as individuals overlook novel solutions that require reimagining the purpose of everyday objects.
🎧 Listening Lecture
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, and asked to attach the candle to a wall so that it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many 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 shelf, and place the candle inside. Why couldn't they see this? Because they saw the box only as a container for tacks, not as a potential platform. This illustrates functional fixedness—they were unable to think of using the box beyond its standard role.
❓ Question Question: Using the example from the lecture, explain the concept of functional fixedness.
📊 TOEFL Speaking Task 3 Rubric
Delivery: Fluency, pronunciation, intonation
Language Use: Grammar, vocabulary, sentence variety
Topic Development: Accurately explain the reading concept and restate the lecture examples
Scored 0-30 based on holistic scoring (original 0-4, scaled to 30). 30s preparation, 60s response.
💡 Answering Tips
Note the core concept definition from the reading (usually 1-2 sentences)
Record 1-2 specific examples the professor uses in the lecture
Start with the concept definition, then explain with lecture examples
Use template phrases: "The reading defines... The professor illustrates this by..."
Keep within 60s; ensure clarity and fluency
🎤 免费 AI 口语评分
基于 2800+ 托福真题评分库 · 无限次免费使用
⚠️ AI 自动评分基于托福官方口语三大维度（Delivery / Language Use / Topic Development）标准开发，结果仅供练习参考。
