Mindset

Mindset: Boosting Motivation and Achievement to Close the Gaps Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. Stanford University

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 2007 Governing Board Conference Houston, Texas October 30, 2007

Mindsets • Fixed Mindset: Intelligence is a fixed trait • Growth Mindset: Intelligence is a malleable quality; a potential that can be developed

Mindsets • Which mindset is correct? • Which mindset is most popular? • Do students hold the same mindsets across domains? • Are the mindsets related to students’ ability? • Are the mindsets themselves fixed or can they be changed?

What Do Mindsets Do? The Junior High Transition

What Do Mindsets Do? Goals Learning is Most Important: “It’s much more important for me to learn things in my classes than it is to get the best grades.” Looking Smart is Most Important: “The main thing I want when I do my school work is to show how good I am at it.”

What Mindsets Do Effort Beliefs Effort is positive: “The harder you work at something, the better you’ll be at it.”

Effort is negative: “To tell the truth, when I work hard at my school work, it makes me feel like I’m not very smart.”

What Mindsets Do Strategies Resilient: “I would work harder in this class from now on.” “I would spend more time studying for the tests.”

Helpless: “I would spend less time on this subject from now on.” “I would try not to take this subject ever again.” “I would try to cheat on the next test.”

Math Achievement in Junior High School 77 76.5 76 75.5 75 74.5 74 73.5 73 72.5 72

growth Fixed Growth

Fall - Year 1

Spring-Year 1

Fall-Year 2

Spring-Year 2

fixed

Paying Attention to Learning Ability-Relevant Feedback

Question “Who was the Union general at the battle of Gettysburg?”

Subject types response and confidence

* 1.5 s

or

*

1s

1.5 s

Correct answer 2s

Learning-Relevant Feedback

How are Mindsets Communicated? Messages We Send

How Are Mindsets Communicated? Intelligence Praise: “Wow, that’s a really good score. You must be smart at this.” Effort Praise: “Wow, that’s a really good score. You must have tried really hard.” [Control Group: “Wow, that’s a really good score.”]

Effects of Intelligence vs. Effort Praise • Mindset: Fixed vs. Growth • Goals: Looking Smart vs. Learning After Difficult Trial: • Motivation: Low vs. High • Performance: Decreased vs. Increased

Number of problems solved on Trial 1 (before failure) and Trial 3 (after failure) Number of Problems Solved

6.5

6 Effort Praise Control Praise Intelligence Praise

5.5

5 4.5 Trial 1

Trial 3

Lying Students who misrepresented their scores 0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0 Intelligence

Control

Effort

Type of Praise Given

Changing Mindsets Brainology I

Change in Math Grades Blackwell, Dweck, & Trzesniewski 3 2.9 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2 Time 3 (PostIntervention)

Time 2 (PreIntervention)

Time 1

Control Growth

Percent Identified as Increasing in Motivation 30

27

25 20 15 10

9

5 0 Control

Growth

Teacher Reports: Changes in Motivation to Learn “Your workshop has already had an effect. L, who never puts in any extra effort and often doesn’t turn in homework on time, actually stayed up late working for hours to finish an assignment early so I could review it and give him a chance to revise it. He earned a B+ on the assignment (he had been getting C’s and lower).”

• Replicated by other researchers: Motivation, Grades, Achievement Test Scores

• Reduced achievement gaps

Effects of Intervention on Math Standardized Test Score (Good & Aronson) 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 Control

Growth

Effects of Intervention on Math Standardized Test Score (Good & Aronson) 90 85 80 75 Males Females

70 65 60 55 50 Control

Growth

Brainology II 6 Computer Modules Teachers’ Guide

Navigating Brainology

Brain Orb as Guide

Visit to Brain Lab

Mad Scientist

Brain Experiments

The Learning Brain

Have you changed your mind about anything? • My favorite thing from Brainology is the neurons part where when u learn something there are connections and they keep growing. I always picture them when I’m in school (khadija) • Yes … I imagine neurons making connections in my brain and I feel like I am learning something. (biggie)

Teacher: Have you noticed changes? • [In my class they] use the memory terminology every chance they get, “I’ll have to put that into my long-term memory,” “Sorry, that stuff is not in my long-term memory,” “I guess I was only using my working memory” …They offer to practice, study, take notes, or pay attention to ensure that connections will be made.

Fixed Mindset Instructions “The test you are about to take, the verbal portion of the MCAT, is a measure of your verbal intelligence and verbal reasoning ability…”

Growth Mindset Instructions “The test you are about to take…is not a measure of verbal ability; rather it is a measure of your current level of reading comprehension, retention, and speed. All of these can improve considerably with practice.”

Mindset Instructions on MCAT Problems 20 17.5 15 12.5 10 7.5 5 FIXED

GROWTH

25.9% increase

Conclusions • Mindsets play a key role in motivation and performance. • Mindsets can be changed.

The End Thank you!

Pre-Med Chemistry Grades Grant & Dweck 3.2 3.1 3 2.9 2.8 2.7 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.2

Male Female

Entity

Incremental