Maslow's Hammer
Law of the Instrument · Golden Hammer
The over-reliance on a particular tool simply because that tool is either more immediately available or because it's more familiar.
Origin
Abraham Maslow wrote in his 1966 book The Psychology of Science: "I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." The idea had been articulated two years earlier by philosopher Abraham Kaplan, who called it the "law of the instrument" in The Conduct of Inquiry (1964), but Maslow's punchier phrasing stuck.
Everyday Use
Maslow's Hammer is a solution heuristic — we use what we know to get where we want, even if it's not the best way to get there. As an oversimplification, surgeons think surgery is the best option, psychiatrists believe that medication would be the wisest path, and psychologists that counseling is preferred. Our experiences and familiarity guide us, but it's good to recognize when we have blinders on too.