Functional fixation
Functional fixation is the tendency to see objects, methods or resources only through the prism of their typical use.
Definition
This phenomenon makes problem solving difficult because it narrows the field of possible uses and blocks a creative change of perspective. Classically it concerns subjects, but in practice it can also include roles, procedures and one's own skills. Breaking the fixation involves asking not only "what is it for?", but also "what else does it enable?"
Key ideas
Missing key ideas.
Practice and life
Select an issue and list all available resources. For each one, write down three unusual uses, even if the first ideas seem strange.
Common misunderstanding
It is a mistake to consider the first function as the only possible one. A common mistake is to reject unusual ideas before they are tested.
Questions for self-reflection
No questions for self-reflection.
Sources
No sources.