functional fixedness

the tendency to perceive an object only in terms of its most common use. For example, people generally perceive cardboard boxes as containers, thus hindering them from potentially flipping the boxes over for use as platforms upon which to place objects (e.g., books). See alternate-uses test.

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Psychology term of the day

April 19th 2024

moral relativism

the belief that the morality or immorality of an action is determined by social custom rather than by universal or fixed standards of right and wrong. According to Jean Piaget, moral relativism is characteristic of children in the autonomous stage of moral development, who consider the intention behind an act along with possible extenuating circumstances when judging its rightness or wrongness. Compare moral absolutism; moral realism; situation ethics.