托福口语 Task 3

In psychology, 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. This mental block prevents individuals from seeing alternative uses for familiar objects, thereby hindering creative problem-solving. When faced with a novel challenge, people often struggle because they cannot break free from their preconceived notions of an object's function. Overcoming functional fixedness requires a shift in perspective, allowing one to consider unconventional applications for everyday items.

Professor: To illustrate functional fixedness, let me share an experiment from my own class. I gave students a candle, a box of thumbtacks, and a book of matches, and asked them to attach the candle to the wall so it could burn without dripping wax on the floor. Many students tried to tack the candle directly to the wall or melt wax to stick it, but they failed. The key was to empty the thumbtack box, tack it to the wall as a platform, and place the candle inside. Most students didn't think of using the box as a holder because they saw it only as a container for tacks. They were fixated on its usual function. Once I hinted that the box could serve another purpose, they quickly solved it. This shows how functional fixedness blocks creative solutions.