Question

Problems that require a common object to be used in an unusual way may be difficult to solve because of: A. mental set. B. irrelevant information. C. unnecessary constraints. D. functional fixedness.

Short answer

Answer: Functional fixedness.

Step-by-step solution

Define each option

Let's define the four terms: A. Mental set: A tendency to approach a problem in a specific way due to previous experiences. B. Irrelevant information: Unnecessary information that doesn't contribute to solving the problem. C. Unnecessary constraints: Restrictions that are not part of the problem but are self-imposed by the solver. D. Functional fixedness: A cognitive bias that hinders the ability to use an object in a different way than its traditional use.

Analyze the exercise statement

The exercise involves solving problems that require a common object to be used in an unusual way. It asks us to identify the reason for difficulty in solving such problems.

Determine the correct reason

The correct reason would be "D. functional fixedness" because the difficulty in solving problems that require using a common object in an unusual way comes from the solver's inability to view the object outside of its typical function, which is the definition of functional fixedness.

Final Answer

Therefore, the correct answer is D. Functional fixedness.