Matthew sees a nail sticking out from a board which he wishes to push inside. Though there is a brick lying nearby, it does not occur to him that it can serve well to fix the nail. Consequently, he wastes time searching for a hammer. Which of the following does Matthew exhibit?

Functional fixedness

Explanation:

Hello! Functional fixation is the correct answer because is the inability to realize that something we know has a particular use, can also be used to perform other functions (example: The brick). When one faces a new creative challenge, functional fixation blocks our ability to use old tools in new ways.