Which term denotes the inability to see an object as useful for anything other than its traditional function?

• A. Functional Fixedness
• B. Priming
• C. Framing
• D. Gambler's Fallacy

Answer: (A)

This question tests functional fixedness: the tendency to view an object only by its traditional use, which can block seeing other ways to apply it. When functional fixedness is at play, a familiar item feels useful only for its usual purpose, making problem solving harder because you don’t consider novel or improvised applications. A classic example is the candle problem, where people overlook using the box itself as a candle holder or a mounting surface, instead seeing the box only as a container for pins. By recognizing and overcoming this bias, you can reframe objects and find creative solutions.

Priming involves exposure to stimuli that influence later responses but doesn’t constrain how you think about an object's function. Framing is about presenting information in different ways to steer decisions, not about limits on perceiving alternative uses. Gambler’s fallacy is the mistaken belief that past events affect future independent outcomes. Those concepts describe different cognitive effects, while the scenario described specifically captures functional fixedness.