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.
🎧 Listening Lecture
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.
❓ Question Question: Using the example from the lecture, explain the concept of functional fixedness and how it affected the participants' ability to solve the problem.
📊 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。
