# When is a Stapler not a Stapler? By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-10-24 Thinking can be relatively broad or narrow. Situations call for either type in about equal measure. Whereas both have value, narrow thinking tends to be more limiting. One potential consequence of narrow thinking is _functional fixedness_. This phenomenon is yet another cognitive bias. Functional fixedness emerges when an individual views an object in terms of its most common application and is unable to imagine creative alternative uses for the object. In this example, one suffering from functional fixedness might view a stapler only in terms of its primary usage of joining paper [[together]]. There are certainly alternative ways to make use of a stapler. A stapler could be used as a paperweight. This usage is particularly useful as one could hold that papers on one’s desk using it as a paperweight and then join papers together when needed. In certain situations, one might use a stapler as a hammer. One might want to hang a picture in one’s office and didn’t bring a hammer. No worries, a nice stapler might do the trick. Other alternative uses exist. One is limited only by one’s imagination. So, when is a stapler not a stapler? The answer is, whenever a person is creatively unconstrained by functional fixedness. #### Related Items [[Thinking]] [[Creative]] [[Cognitive Biases]]