Growth mindset: what there is to it

In short: A growth mindset is the belief that abilities such as intelligence can be developed through practice and good strategies. Its counterpart is the fixed mindset, the belief that talent is largely set. The concept was made famous by the psychologist Carol Dweck.

In more detail: The idea is very popular, but its impact is smaller than often claimed. Large studies and reviews found, on average, only small effects of mindset training on grades, with somewhat larger effects in some groups, such as lower-achieving learners.

In detail

• Core message: People who believe they can improve are more likely to see mistakes as learning opportunities and less likely to give up quickly when things get hard.
• Praise the process: Feedback such as “You found a good strategy” rather than “You’re so clever” draws attention to effort and approach.
• The little word “yet”: “I can’t do it yet” stresses that ability develops.
• What research shows: Short interventions can change attitudes, but the effects on performance are usually modest and depend on the environment.
• A misunderstanding: A growth mindset does not mean that everyone can learn everything equally well or that effort alone is enough; effective methods and support are needed too (testeffekt-und-abrufueben).
• False growth mindset: Dweck herself warned against praising effort alone when the strategy is not working.
• Dealing with mistakes: A learning environment in which mistakes are discussed rather than punished fits this way of thinking well (fehlerkultur-und-umgang-mit-misserfolg).
• A related concept: Closely related is self-efficacy, confidence in your own ability to handle specific tasks (selbstwirksamkeit).