Fixedness

Fixedness refers to a cognitive bias that limits a person to using objects only in their conventional functions, thereby constraining problem solving. The most studied form is functional fixedness, the tendency to perceive an object as having a single, typical use.

Historically, functional fixedness was highlighted in the psychology literature by Karl Duncker in the mid-20th century. A classic demonstration is the candle problem, in which participants are given a candle, a box of tacks, and matches and must attach the candle to a wall. Many fail to consider the box itself as a possible shelf, illustrating how familiar uses can obscure alternative ones.

The phenomenon arises from how object representations are stored and activated in memory. Repeated experience with typical functions strengthens cognitive schemas, making nonconventional uses harder to imagine. Overcoming fixedness often requires shifting how a problem is framed, prompting analytical or creative thinking, or prompting participants to view objects as tools with multiple potential functions rather than as rigid containers.

Implications extend to education, design, and creative work. Strategies to reduce fixedness include presenting problems with varied contexts, encouraging analogical reasoning, and providing explicit prompts to consider alternative uses or functions. Incubation and collaboration can also aid in breaking habitual associations.

Critics note that fixedness is not universal and can depend on task demands, expertise, and instruction. While robust under certain conditions, the strength of fixedness varies across individuals and situations, and some contexts show rapid adaptation to nontraditional uses.