What is the Functional fixedness bias?
The Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias where people have problem solving problems in an unconventional way because they are too attached to the original purpose of an object. For example, if you were given a box full of nails, instead of thinking about the other possible uses for the box (like holding pens or pencils), you might think that it could only be used as a storage space for nails.
Why this bias is dangerous?
This unconscious mindset prevents us from seeing or even projecting creative ideas that can solve or resolve different situations. It’s important to keep in mind that our thoughts are often biased by our experiences and knowledge acquired over time. Even though there are several cognitive biases, functional fixed is one of the most common biases.
Why do people use this bias?
According to the functional fixedness, we tend to limit objects and their possible uses. It’s natural for us to think that some things cannot be used in a different way than they were initially designed for. For example: if you were given a toothbrush and all you know is its original purpose (cleaning your teeth), it’d be difficult to think about other functions like creating a mini waterslide (just add water).
How do people use this bias?
When someone falls under the trap of functional fixedness, he or she can’t see beyond the object’s primary function. That person will have difficulties seeing how the object could be used another context or situation that doesn’t involve its primary function.
How can we create this bias?
You can create a functional fixedness by forcing people to see only one way of using an object. For example, if you ask someone how they would use a hammer, they might say something like « I would hit nails with it. » If you then tell them not to think about that particular use, they will have difficulty thinking of other uses for the hammer. In some cases, they might even have trouble identifying the object as a hammer.
How to avoid this bias?
In order to avoid being trapped by the functional fixedness bias, it is important to understand that objects exist in different contexts and scenarios where they could be in more than one way depending on the situation. It’s also important to understand that not every red object is a fire extinguisher and not every stick can be used as a baton.
Functional fixedness examples:
– Someone trying to cut cheese with a toothbrush (a typical functional fixedness example)
– A student asking for help with solving two problems but refusing because his or her friend only knows how to solve one of them
– A person who cannot think of other ways to use a hammer, besides hitting nails with it
– An iPod being used as an MP3 player rather than being recognized as something capable of other uses depending on location, time, etc.. For example, using an as your alarm clock in the morning.
Which profession use the bias?
People use this bias in different levels of education, starting with kids at elementary school and ending with adults looking to solve problems in professional situations. People who work within the realm of science are more prone to functional fixedness than people working in other fields because they learn very early on that not everything can be used for multiple purposes. Another example of profession using the bias is engineers. They are very interested in finding out what things can do or how they were made but sometimes get trapped into an object’s purpose which prevents them from seeing beyond that scope.
Conclusion.
Being aware of your thoughts and how you perceive the things around you can help you avoid falling into the functional fixedness trap. In order to do this, try thinking about a problem from different perspectives or looking for other uses for an object besides the one you know it was designed for. Being flexible with your way of thinking is a good practice that will not only improve your creativity but also allow you to avoid unnecessary mistakes by limiting yourself. If someone came up with a new way to use a hammer, why not give it a shot? Your lack of knowledge or experience shouldn’t prevent you from trying out new things and seeing what they can lead to either.
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