John needs a paperweight to keep open a book from which he is making notes. He does not own a paperweight. There is small red building-brick keeping his door open that would be perfect as a weight, but when John looks at it, he doesn't think of it as a paperweight. In this case, John has fallen prey to
A) item compensation.
B) a very bad heuristic.
C) algorithmic failure.
D) functional fixedness.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Functional fixedness occurs when an individual is unable to see an object as useful for a different purpose than its original intended use. In this case, John is unable to see the small red building-brick as a useful paperweight because he only sees it as something being used to keep his door open.

John Needs a Paperweight to Keep Open a Book from Which