Glossary / Lexicon

Functional Fixedness refers to a hindrance in problem solving in which a person thinks of an object as having very specific functions, and is unable to see the potential uses of various objects in novel situations; problem-solving phenomenon in which people have difficulty seeing alternate uses for common objects. Functional Fixedness, moreover, is a rigidity in problem solving caused by an inability to see new uses for familiar objects; the inability to realize that something known to have a particular use may also be used for performing other functions