Functional fixedness as related to elapsed time and to set.

Abstract

Five groups including a total of 67 Ss participated in Expt. I designed to test the hypothesis that functional fixedness decreases as a function of time. All Ss were first given the task of constructing an electric circuit, half using a relay and the other half a microswitch. Following an interval of uncontrolled activity, all Ss were given Maier''s two-string problem. The length of the interval between the initial task and the two-string problem was varied, being 1 min., 1/2 hr., 1 hr., 1 day, and 1 week for five groups, respectively. Functional fixedness as measured by the percentage of Ss using as a pendulum weight in the two-string problem the object not used in the initial task, did decrease as a function of time. The relation was significant at the .02 level. In Exp. II, concerned with the relation between functional fixedness and set, 45 Ss from the first three groups in Exp. I were given a Luchins series of water-jar problems. Susceptibility to functional fixedness as defined by the Maier two-string problem, was found to have a significant relation to inability to overcome set, but no relation to susceptibility to set, as defined by the Luchins problem series.