What is a growth mindset?
A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and talents can grow through effort, effective strategies and support from others. Its opposite, a fixed mindset, is the belief that abilities are innate and largely unchangeable. The concept was developed by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck.
- Researcher
- Carol Dweck
- Key book
- Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (2006)
- Core idea
- Ability is not fixed; it can be developed
- Real-world effect
- Small on average, meaningful for certain students
Growth vs. fixed mindset
| Situation | Fixed mindset | Growth mindset |
|---|---|---|
| A hard problem | "I’m just not smart enough." | "I haven’t found the right strategy yet." |
| Mistakes | Embarrassing; hide them | Chances to learn |
| Effort | Proof you lack talent | The path to mastery |
| Others’ success | Threatening | Inspiring; something to learn from |
How praise shapes mindset
Telling a child "You’re so smart" can backfire. In Dweck’s studies, children praised for being smart often chose easier tasks next time, while children praised for their effort chose more challenging ones.
The key is to praise the process. Instead of "A+! You’re a genius," try "Going back over the problems you missed really paid off." How students explain success and failure is also central to attribution theory.
What does the evidence say?
Growth mindset became hugely popular in schools, but the research is more nuanced. Sisk and colleagues’ (2018) meta-analyses found that both the link between mindset and grades and the effects of mindset interventions were very small on average, though larger for students from low-income families or at academic risk. In the US National Study of Learning Mindsets, Yeager and colleagues (2019) found that a short online program of under an hour modestly raised grades for lower-achieving ninth graders, especially in schools whose peer culture supported taking on challenges.
Using growth mindset well
- Add "yet." Turn "I can’t do this" into "I can’t do this yet."
- Praise strategies, not just effort. Recognize trying new approaches, not only working hard on the same one.
- Use mistakes as material. Treat error analysis as part of learning, not punishment.
- Change the environment too. Mindset messages without real support can turn into "it’s your fault for not trying."
For how repeated failure leads to giving up, see learned helplessness; for belief in your own capability, see self-efficacy.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a growth mindset?
- It is the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort, good strategies and help from others.
- How do you praise for a growth mindset?
- Praise specific effort, strategies and persistence rather than innate traits like being smart.
- Does growth mindset actually work?
- Average effects are small, but meaningful benefits have been found for lower-achieving or disadvantaged students, especially in supportive school environments.
References
- Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. New York: Random House.
- Mueller, C. M., & Dweck, C. S. (1998). Praise for intelligence can undermine children’s motivation and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 33–52.
- Sisk, V. F., Burgoyne, A. P., Sun, J., Butler, J. L., & Macnamara, B. N. (2018). To what extent and under which circumstances are growth mind-sets important to academic achievement? Two meta-analyses. Psychological Science, 29(4), 549–571.
- Yeager, D. S., Hanselman, P., Walton, G. M., Murray, J. S., Crosnoe, R., et al. (2019). A national experiment reveals where a growth mindset improves achievement. Nature, 573(7774), 364–369.