托福口语 Task 3

The concept of 'functional fixedness' refers to the tendency of individuals to perceive objects only in their traditional or familiar roles, which limits their ability to imagine alternative uses for those objects. This cognitive bias can hinder problem-solving because it prevents people from seeing novel applications of familiar items. Psychologists argue that overcoming functional fixedness often requires deliberate mental effort to reframe the object's potential functions.

Professor: Let me illustrate this with a classic experiment. In the study, participants were given a candle, a box of tacks, 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 participants struggled because they saw the tack box only as a container for tacks, not as a potential shelf. The solution was to empty the tacks, tack the empty box to the wall, and place the candle inside it. Those who solved it had to overcome the functional fixedness of the box—seeing it beyond its usual role. So, the key was breaking the mental block.