Susan's car gets stuck in the snow, and no matter what she tries, her tires just keep spinning. She looks at the items in her trunk (her school books, some windshield washer fluid, groceries, and some kitty litter) and is frustrated because she doesn't seem to have anything to help her out of her situation. Susan is displaying __________ because she did not think of using kitty litter to sprinkle under her tires to help with traction.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Susan is displaying functional fixedness because she is only thinking of the usual purpose of the items in her trunk and is not considering alternative uses for them (such as using the kitty litter for traction).

Susan's Car Gets Stuck in the Snow, and No Matter