Finding a new use for an object
Explore how a familiar object can serve another purpose.
The picture in words
- Familiar use
- An established purpose comes to mind.
- Alternative use
- The same features may help solve another problem.
Reading the illustration
Compare the object across uses. Functional fixedness describes difficulty looking beyond a familiar function.
Try a question
What might help you think of a new use for the paper clip?
Show the explanation
Consider its shape, stiffness and flexibility separately from its usual role. Those features can suggest another solution.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/7-3-problem-solvingSelected rendered passages on algorithms, heuristics and functional fixedness, reviewed in the topic-selection research.