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 hindering creative problem-solving. When individuals are faced with a novel challenge, they often fail to see alternative functions for familiar items because their mental representation of the object's purpose is rigid. This phenomenon can prevent efficient solutions and is a common obstacle in both everyday tasks and scientific innovation.

Professor: So, let me give you a classic example. In a psychology experiment, participants were asked to attach a candle to a wall so that it wouldn't drip wax on the floor. They were given a box of thumbtacks, a book of matches, and the candle. Most people tried to melt the candle and stick it to the wall, or tack the candle to the wall—but nothing worked. The solution was to empty the box, tack the box to the wall, and place the candle inside it. Why did they fail? Because they saw the box only as a container for thumbtacks, not as a potential shelf. That's functional fixedness—they couldn't see the box's alternative function because they were fixated on its usual role as a holder.