Anastasia is building a sand castle at the beach. She is frustrated by the fact that the water keeps washing it away. She has rebuilt the castle five times already, each one a little further up from the waves. Her brother Christopher walks up, sees the problem, and proceeds to dig a channel for the water that bypasses her latest sand castle completely. Which cognitive block was Anastasia demonstrating?
A)Functional fixedness
B)Convergent thinking
C)Mental set
D)Thin slicing

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Anastasia is demonstrating a mental set, as she is stuck in a pattern of thinking and keeps trying the same solution (rebuilding the sand castle in the same place) despite it not working. Christopher, on the other hand, demonstrates creative thinking by coming up with a new solution to the problem. Functional fixedness, convergent thinking, and thin slicing do not accurately describe Anastasia's situation.

Anastasia Is Building a Sand Castle at the Beach