Arlene is at work and the back of one of her earrings falls off and gets lost. She is depressed because she bought these earrings especially to match the outfit she is wearing. She doesn't realize that she can use the eraser from a pencil to secure the earring on her ear. Arlene is demonstrating __________.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Arlene is demonstrating functional fixedness, which is the inability to see objects being used for something other than their normal use. In this case, she doesn't consider using a pencil eraser as a substitute for her earring back.

Arlene Is at Work and the Back of One of Her