Henry's dog, Sparky, has been rolling in the mud. Henry must bathe Sparky before the dog gets mud all over the carpet. However, Henry is unable to find the plug for the tub. Sitting on the counter right beside the tub is a fifty-cent piece. In his frustration, Henry fails to see that the coin could be used as an emergency plug for the tub. What happened to Henry?
A)He took a heuristic approach.
B)He fell prey to the confirmation bias.
C)He suffered from functional fixedness.
D)He employed representational thought.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Henry suffered from functional fixedness, which is the inability to think creatively about the use of an object beyond its typical function. He only saw the coin as a form of currency and didn't consider the possibility of its alternative use as a temporary plug for the tub. The other options are not applicable in this scenario.

Henry's Dog, Sparky, Has Been Rolling in the Mud