Functional Fixedness: How to Overcome Functional Fixedness

Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias limiting a person’s ability to find alternative uses for objects beyond their intended use. A form of mental block, this bias impedes using objects in innovative ways and inhibits divergent thinking. For example, a person with this cognitive bias can only use a book for reading, not anything else, like a paperweight.

The concept of functional fixedness originated in Gestalt psychology, which encourages holistic processing. German psychologist Karl Duncker explored functional fixedness in his studies, defining it as a person’s inability to use objects for creative problem-solving beyond their original use.

Functional fixedness is learned. Different teachings and cultures can shape this concept, especially in young children. Studies show that five-year-old children can use any object for any function, revealing a greater sense of imagination and creative thinking. For example, children often transform everyday items like cardboard boxes into imaginative playthings, like cars and rocket ships.

Over time, however, that sense of childlike wonder can diminish, limiting objects’ abilities for innovative solutions. Functional fixedness can lead to fewer alternative solutions and convergent thinking.

Many examples illuminate this bias in cognitive psychology. Consider the following examples of evaluating functional fixedness:

1. 1. Candle problem: The candle problem is psychologist Karl Duncker’s classic example of functional fixedness. The test asks participants to keep a candle from dripping on a table below; they are only given a book of matches, a set of tacks, and the candle. The test reveals that a person can empty the box of matches, put the candle in the box, and tack the candle holder onto a wall, so the candle does not drip onto the table.
2. 2. Paperweight: A paperweight keeps papers from flying around in the breeze. In this experiment, a person has a brick, and functional fixedness shows whether the person can see the brick as anything more than a building block and apply it as a weight to hold papers down.
3. 3. Tree branches: In this example, a person in a park receives a tree branch for play. The test evaluates if the person can see the tree branch as something more than a part of a tree, like a sword, drumstick, or a vessel to race in a river.

Functional fixedness can provide an easy solution to problems, like using a screwdriver to loosen a screw. However, this apparent thinking can limit creativity. To overcome functional fixedness, practice finding multiple solutions to problems and use objects beyond their intended use, like the tip of a butter knife to loosen a tight screw.

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