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, thereby preventing them from seeing its alternative uses. This mental block can hinder problem-solving because individuals fail to recognize that familiar objects can serve novel functions. Overcoming functional fixedness requires creative thinking and the ability to mentally restructure the problem.

Professor: So, let me give you an example from a classic psychology experiment. Participants were given a box of thumbtacks, a candle, and a book of matches, and they were asked to attach the candle to the wall so that it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many participants struggled because they saw the box only as a container for the tacks. They tried to tack the candle directly to the wall or melt wax to stick it, which failed. The solution was to empty the box, tack it to the wall as a platform, and place the candle inside it. The participants who succeeded were those who overcame functional fixedness by realizing the box could serve as a shelf, not just a storage container. This shows how breaking the traditional association with an object can lead to a creative solution.