fixed versus growth mindsets

implicit theories

personal constructs or naive assumptions about the self and world, guiding how we think, interpret, and respond

growth (incremental) mindset

belief that intelligence is modifiable through increased effort

fixed (entity) mindset

belief that intelligence is fixed and each person has their allotted share

reasons for differing academic performances

1. different goals

2. attribute to failure

3. response to challenges

4. self-regulated learning

growth mindset & academic performance

UPWARD trajectory

- prefers challenging tasks

- attributes failures to smt that can be corrected thru effort

- mistakes are seen as opportunities to improve (greater brain activation)

- takes feedback as a way to learn and try new strategies

fixed mindset & academic performance

FIXED trajectory

- performs actions in order to appear capable and avoid challenge

- attributes failures to their own lack of ability

- mistakes indicate a lack of ability

development of implicit beliefs

influenced by the type of praise (intelligence vs effort) received from parents/educators

praise about intelligence

leads to greater performance goals and less problem-solving

praise about effort

leads to greater learning goals and high problem-solving

how to foster growth mindsets in students?

give students praise valuing their hard work as a measure of success

- non-generic praise focused on specific behaviours (e.g., you must have worked hard on this)

mindset that matters most in a classroom setting

student and teacher

ppl who come from a lower income decile background

• endorse more fixed mindsets

• if growth, achieve similar grades as ppl from higher income decile with fixed mindset

university students’ mindset over the course of a semester

adopt greater fixed mindsets

meta-analyses of growth interventions (Burnette et al.)

• has larger effects for proximal outcomes

• work better for at-risk groups

• are associated with stronger mental health outcomes than academic achievement