托福口语 Task 3

In psychology, the term 'functional fixedness' refers to a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used. This mental block prevents individuals from seeing alternative uses for familiar items, thereby hindering problem-solving. When people encounter a new challenge, they often fail to repurpose objects because their minds are fixed on the object's typical function. Overcoming functional fixedness requires creative thinking and the ability to view objects beyond their conventional roles.

Professor: Let me give you an example from a classic experiment. Participants were given a box of thumbtacks, a candle, and a match, and asked to attach the candle to a wall so that it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many struggled because they tried to nail the candle directly or melt wax to stick it. The solution was to empty the thumbtack box, tack it to the wall as a shelf, and place the candle inside. But most people couldn't see the box as anything but a container for thumbtacks—that's functional fixedness. Once someone pointed out the box could be a platform, they immediately solved it. Their initial failure wasn't due to lack of ability, but because they were stuck on the box's typical function.