A loose screw on the visor causes it to drop down while Ben drives; however, he keeps forgetting to take a screwdriver out to the car to fix it. When he notices the visor drop again, he reaches into his pocket for a dime he uses to tighten the screw holding the visor. What problem-solving difficulty did Ben overcome?
A) relative comparison
B) functional fixedness
C) poor problem representation
D) the representative heuristic

Question

A loose screw on the visor causes it to drop down while Ben drives; however, he keeps forgetting to take a screwdriver out to the car to fix it. When he notices the visor drop again, he reaches into his pocket for a dime he uses to tighten the screw holding the visor. What problem-solving difficulty did Ben overcome?
A) relative comparison
B) functional fixedness 
C) poor problem representation
D) the representative heuristic

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ben overcame functional fixedness, which refers to the tendency to see objects only in their typical or usual functions and overlook other potential uses. In this case, Ben used a dime, a non-traditional tool, to fix the loose screw instead of a screwdriver, which is typically used for this type of repair.

A Loose Screw on the Visor Causes It to Drop