Which phenomenon involves solving problems by focusing on typical uses of objects, making it hard to see novel uses?

• A. Functional Fixedness
• B. Framing
• C. Representativeness Heuristic
• D. Drive Reduction Theory

Answer: (A)

Functional fixedness is a cognitive bias where people get stuck thinking about an object only in its usual, traditional use, which makes it hard to see unconventional or novel ways to use it in a problem. This rigidity in thinking blocks creative solutions because the mind filters potential approaches through the lens of ordinary functions. A classic illustration is treating a box only as something to hold items, rather than using it as a platform or tool in a larger setup, which can prevent seeing a clever way to repurpose it. That focus on typical uses is exactly what makes this phenomenon the best fit for describing the scenario in the question. By contrast, framing deals with how information presentation influences decisions, the representativeness heuristic is a shortcut based on similarity to a prototype, and Drive Reduction Theory explains motivation from reducing physiological needs—none of these capture the specific difficulty of reimagining how an object can be used.