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, thereby preventing them from seeing novel uses for it. When individuals encounter a problem, they often become fixated on an object's typical function, which hinders creative problem-solving. Overcoming functional fixedness requires a mental shift, allowing one to perceive alternative functions for familiar items, a process known as 'defamiliarization'.

Professor: Let me illustrate this with a classic experiment. Participants were given a box of tacks, a candle, and a book of matches, and asked to attach the candle to the wall so that it could burn properly. Most people tried to tack the candle directly to the wall or melt wax to stick it, but both failed. The solution was to use the box as a candle holder: tack the empty box to the wall, place the candle inside, and light it. However, many participants couldn't see the box as anything but a container for tacks. They were stuck in functional fixedness. But those who succeeded had to break that mental set—they realized the box could serve as a platform. This shows how overcoming the bias opens up new solutions.