Psychologyspeaking topic
Functional fixedness: why do we see an object only in its usual role and miss other solutions? How hard is it for the mind to step out of a familiar groove?
— Karl Duncker, functional fixedness
practice with this topic
Set the timer (5-30 min), take 20 seconds of prep if you like, start talking. Jot your thoughts onto the sticky-note board.
similar topics
- Adler's inferiority complex: the same feeling of deficiency crushes one person and drives another to extraordinary achievement. What makes the difference?
- Every job trains you to notice something you can never stop noticing afterwards. How does work rewire the way we see the world?
- The illusion of learning: a text reads smoothly, we think 'I've got this,' and then the exam proves otherwise. Why are we so bad at judging our own learning?
- The perfectionism trap: the person who insists 'flawless or nothing' usually ends up with nothing, because no option is ever flawless. Are high standards a virtue, or a polite excuse for never moving?
- The central executive: the 'boss' system that decides what gets our attention starts making silly mistakes when it tires. What is mental fatigue, really?