The Psychology Guide: What Does Functional Fixedness Mean?

Todd R. Brain June 13, 2025

Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias that restricts the character to using an object only in the traditional way. We will recognize the nuances of equality and how to triumph over it.
TAGGED UNDER: Psychology

Duncker’s candle hassle is a famous cognitive performance used to measure functional fixedness’s influence on a subject’s trouble-solving capabilities. Functional fixedness is the incapacity to view an item as being capable of fulfilling every other feature than what its miles at the beginning meant for. This approach is stated to be a cognitive bias and can impede a person’s trouble-fixing competencies.

The idea originated in the form of psychology referred to as Gestalt Psychology. Karl Duncker (a Gestalt psychologist) came up with the term and described practical fixedness as “(the) intellectual block against the usage of an item in a new manner this is required to solve a hassle.” Duncker stated that this block that someone develops limits his capacity to use the components provided to him to complete a mission because he can not look beyond the authentic cause of these components.

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To illustrate this idea better, here’s an example: While on foot to magnificence with a stack of books, it unexpectedly begins drizzling. Since you don’t have an umbrella for safety, you continue to get sopping wet. You fail to comprehend that the books you carry will be used to cool your head. This is purposeful fixedness―where you view the books as most effective as cloth to be written on or examined and nothing else (here, as safety from rain).

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The Characteristics

Being able to overcome functional fixedness is, in a manner, related to innovative and ‘out-of-the-box thinking. In present-day instances, the potential to think beyond the predicted is encouraging, particularly inside the expert international. Thus, overcoming purposeful fixedness is considered an awesome component.

However, there’s a one-of-a-kind way of looking at this. It is important to have fixed functions for matters to a certain factor, the failure of which could cause a whole lot of confusion and, at times, cause greater damage than precise. For instance, if you desired to cut fruit and there was no fixed tool to do the equal, imagine you will start sifting through the contents of your kitchen cabinet, checking out spatula after ladling after spoon to decide which tool can be exceptionally used to reduce a fruit. This isn’t the simplest time-eating, but it is also weird.

It has been noticed that children until age 5 are not vulnerable to useful fixedness. They do not now repair a novel feature to an item and stay with it. They are more open to experimenting with the jobs of various gadgets and using them in exclusive situations for distinctive capabilities. This capability diminishes normally when they may be 7 because their parents correct them.

Example

Here’s some other useful fixedness instance we embrace, in which you’re answering an exam, and you’ve been surpassed by a complementing sheet that has not been punched―the sheet wishes to be tied to the main solution sheet. Since you have no punching gadget, you search for a pin or a geometry compass to punch the hole. And while you find that you have neither, it unexpectedly strikes you that the pen’s nib may be used for an identical purpose. This is an instance of functional fixedness and overcoming the equal.

Here, a pin, a geometry compass, or a pen have not been invented to punch holes in paper, but that doesn’t mean they cannot be used identically. Their feature isn’t fixed―they may be used for different matters as nicely.
Overcoming Functional Fixedness
Functional fixedness can be prevented by opening one’s mind to newer scenarios while confronted with a difficult situation. This may be accomplished by projecting powerful physical games that pressure one to assume things beyond the plain and assist in expanding fantastic hassle-fixing abilities.

Exercise

The only manner of stopping the onset of practical fixedness is to view things now not as a whole, a final product, but in its maximum basic shape―as one-of-a-kind additives that make a whole. For example, if a plastic bottle is located before you, do not think about it as a bottle by yourself. Separate all its components, which would deliver the cap and body to you to you. This opens up an entire world of alternatives to how the elements can be used.

Exercise

Place 4 – five gadgets before you, like a pen, e-book, cup, etc. Next, take a notepad and a pen, and, taking every item, jot down the specific and unique approaches to use it apart from its supposed use. This will clear your mind of the fixed function you’ve set for the objects, and you will be amazed at how effortlessly you can think about the exceptional ways they may be used. For example, an e-book can be used to fuse yourself or repair a rickety table. Functional fixedness can be proscribed in many ways, so there is a desire to take some time to overcome this one-tune thinking. Try to include the exercises above to open up your thoughts.

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