What Is the Difference Between Functional Fixedness and Mental Set

question 63

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between functional fixedness and mental set?

• A) A mental set is more rigid than functional fixedness.
• B) Functional fixedness emphasizes the objects involved in solving the problem, whereas mental set emphasizes the problem solver's strategies.
• C) Functional fixedness applies to problem finding, whereas mental set applies to problem solving.
• D) There is no substantial difference; the two terms are identical.

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Definitions:

Cognitive Development

The construction of thought processes, including remembering, problem-solving, and decision-making, from childhood through adolescence to adulthood.

Middle Childhood

A developmental stage that typically covers the period from 6 to 12 years of age, encompassing significant growth in cognitive, social, and physical areas.

Concrete Operations

The third stage in Piaget’s cognitive-developmental theory of moral development, characterized by flexible, reversible thought concerning tangible objects and events.

Longitudinal Research

The study of developmental processes by taking repeated measures of the same group of children at various stages of development.