Exploring the Formation of “Perspective Fixedness” Through...

Exploring the Formation of â€Å"Perspective Fixedness† Through Established Theories The ability to take different and varying perspectives in any given situation is a strength and often seen as an indicator of intelligence or at least, competence. This fluidity of perspective is a prominent part of many entrance tests for gifted children in schools (McGlonn-Nelson, 2005). In everyday cultural interactions, however, the quality does not seem to be endorsed or encouraged and in looking at the System Justification Theory, one can see why. Standardized thinking preserves the status quo and the need for structure and established systems bring about the mindset (Liviatan Jost, 2011). In accepting, defending and bolstering the societal status quo,†¦show more content†¦The danger in engaging in perspective fixedness, however, comes in applying inaccurate beliefs to decision-making. Due to this potential for harm, it is important to determine how far perspective fixedness ef fects permeate interpersonal thoughts, treatments, and decisions. The body of research viewing functional fixedness as a cultural issue rather than just a cognitive one is small. Yet, there is plenty of evidence from budding topics that suggest that the lack of fluidity in perspective in regards to function can easily translate to fixedness in interpersonal relationships in today’s multicultural world. A well-known and evidenced piece of the support is the establishment of stereotypes. Research has indicated that people who perceive a system to be unfair desire more structure and tend to engage in stereotyping more (Stapel Noordewier, 2011). This piece of research, then, might explain why victims of stereotyping uphold and reinforce the negative stereotype themselves. Indeed, the research of Beyer (1999) and Mickes and his associates (2012) suggests that the level of engagement in using stereotypes to find structure is maintained even within the targeted group, and perceived gender differences are a prime example. There are a number of deeply-rooted stereotypes associated particularly with gender differences. Ability for humor and educational prowess are just