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StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowthMindsetandEducation|OneDublin.org

StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowth
MindsetandEducation
JUNE19,2012
byJamesMorehead
Youresotalented!,Youaregiftedanatural!,Youredoingsowellinschool,youmustbe
reallysmart!childrenreceivethesemessages(ortheirnegativecounterparts),alongwithmany
othermessagesonadailybasisfromtheirpeers,parentsandteachers.Arethesejustwordsordo
theymeanmore?Howarechildrenaffectedbythewordsweusetopraise,coachandcriticize
them?
IrecentlymetwithStanfordUniversitysCarolS.Dweck
(https://www.stanford.edu/dept/psychology/cgibin/drupalm/cdweck)(Departmentof
PsychologyLewisandVirginiaEatonProfessor)tolearnmoreaboutherfascinatingresearch
intoselfconceptions(ormindsets(http://mindsetonline.com/))peopleusetostructuretheself
andguidetheirbehavior.IreachedouttoDr.DweckafterreadingherbookMindset:TheNew
PsychologyofSuccess(http://www.amazon.com/MindsetPsychologySuccessCarol
Dweck/dp/1400062756/sr=81/qid=1158604938/ref=pd_bbs_1/10218095684984946?
ie=UTF8&s=books)whichchallengedmybeliefsystemaboutintelligence.WhileIbelievedhard
workcanmakethedifferencebetweentwointelligentpeople,Ialsobelievedintelligencetobe
moreofafixedtraitsomethingyouarebornwith,ratherthansomethingyoucandevelop.
Dr.Dwecksresearch,compellingandthorough,challengesthiswidelyheldbelief,orfixed
mindset,bydemonstratinghowpowerfulagrowthmindsetcanbeinachievingsuccessand
happiness.
OneDublin.org:Whatsparkedyourinterestinthefieldofpsychology?

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CarolDweck:Iwasalwaysinterestedinpeopleandwhytheydowhattheydo,andthatcrystallizedin
college.Psychologycombinedmanyofmyinterests:Ilovedthescientificmethodputtingyourideasto
thetestandIlikedthehumansubjectmatterofpsychology.
Werealwaysbeingtoldnowadaystofindyourpassion.Isaybuildyourpassionfindorcreatea
topic,andawayofstudyingit,thatwillbecomeyourpassion.WhatIdoinpsychologydidntexistI
hadtobuildit.
OneDublin.org:Whatwasyourtriggertopursueresearchintomindsets?
Dweck:Iwasfascinatedbyhowpeoplecopewithfailureorobstacles.Iwascuriousaboutwhysome
studentslovechallenge,andotherswhomaybeequallytalented,shyawayfromchallengesplayitsafe.
Ijustwantedtofigurethatout.
LateronIalsorealizedthatthisinterestwasfedbyapastexperienceofmine.My6thgradeteacher
seatedusaroundtheroominI.Q.order(asItalkaboutinthebook
(http://www.amazon.com/MindsetPsychologySuccessCarolDweck/dp/1400062756/sr=8
1/qid=1158604938/ref=pd_bbs_1/10218095684984946?ie=UTF8&s=books)),andalthoughIdid
wellinthatmetricitcreatedthisfearoffallingfromgrace,ofmakingthemistakeofnotbeingasperfect
asIneededtobe.Iwantedtounlockthatpsychologyandmaybebottleit,findouttheunderlying
reasonspeopleareafraidofchallengesorcrumblinginthefaceofsetbacks,andultimatelyhelpkids.
OneDublin.org:Whenyoustartedyourresearchdidyouhavemuchtodrawfrom?

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Dweck:Therewereinklingsofresearch.Therewasworkon
learnedhelplessnessinanimals,whereanimalswouldstop
tryingtodothingsthatwerewithintheirpowertodo,because
oftheirpastexperiences.Therestartedtobeworkinattribution
theory,showinghowpeoplesinterpretationsoftheirsuccesses
andfailurescouldreallyinfluencetheirmotivation.Inmywork
IstartedtoputthosethingstogetherIstartedtoaskif
childrensinterpretationoftheirmistakesorsetbackscouldcreatetheirresponses.
OneDublin.org:Whatisyourdefinitionoffixedandgrowthmindsets?
Dweck:Inafixedmindsetstudentsbelievetheirbasicabilities,theirintelligence,theirtalents,arejust
fixedtraits.Theyhaveacertainamountandthatsthat,andthentheirgoalbecomestolooksmartallthe
timeandneverlookdumb.
Inagrowthmindsetstudentsunderstandthattheirtalentsandabilitiescanbedevelopedthrough
effort,goodteachingandpersistence.Theydontnecessarilythinkeveryonesthesameoranyonecanbe
Einstein,buttheybelieveeveryonecangetsmarteriftheyworkatit.
OneDublin.org:Isthereawidelyheldbeliefinthefixedmindsetandwhatisthesourceof
mindsets?

Dweck:Bothmindsetsarewidelyheld.Generallywefindabout40%ofpeople,studentsandadults,

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Dweck:Bothmindsetsarewidelyheld.Generallywefindabout40%ofpeople,studentsandadults,
endorsethegrowthmindset,40%thefixedandtheremainderareinthemiddletheycantmakeup
theirminds.
Ithinkbothmindsetsarerampantinourculture.Wevealwayshadthemessagethatpracticemakes
perfect,anyonecandoanythingiftheyputtheirmindstoit,butwealsohavethisworshipofgeniusand
talent.Whenwelookattremendousperformers,likeMichaelJordan,whenwelookatsuperstars,when
welookatgeniuses,weassumetheywerebornthatwaybecausewedontseewhatwentintotheir
accomplishments.
IteachafreshmanseminarhereatStanfordeveryyearonmindsets.ForoneassignmentIhavethe
studentsdoresearchontheirheroandfindoutwhethertheherowassofamousorsuccessfulbecause
theywerenaturallytalentedorwhethertheyinfacttheyhadtoovercomealotofadversityandwork
reallyhard.Notoncehasiteverbeenthecasethattheirherocoasted.
OneDublin.org:WithallthatsbeenwrittenaboutthesuccessofApple,andtheroleSteveJobs
playedinthatsuccess,howwouldyouclassifySteveJobs?
Dweck:IvethoughtaboutitalotwhenIreadSteveJobsbiographyandIthinkJobshadarealgrowth
mindsetabouthimself.Hewasconstantlyexperimenting,usingthefeedbackandcreatingnewthings
fromit.ButIdontthinkhenecessarilyhadagrowthmindsetaboutotherpeople.Hewantedthemtobe
perfectandtheylivedinfearofcomingtohimandgettinghisdisapproval,insteadofhisapproval.You
canhaveadifferentmindsetaboutyourselfandotherpeople.
OneDublin.org:Whatarethedownsidesforparentsusingphraseslikethiswiththeirchildren
Youaresosmart!andYouaresotalented!
Dweck:Ithinktheselfesteemmovementreallytrainedoursocietysintuitionsabouthowtocreate
happyandsuccessfulkids.Theideawasyoucouldhandkidsselfesteemonasilverplatterbypraising
them,bytellingthemhowsmartandspecialtheyare,andthiswouldsetthemforlifeandeverything
elsegoodwouldfollow.ButIhadalreadybeendoingresearchonvulnerableandresilientkidsfor
decadesandIknewitwasthevulnerableonesthatwerefocusedonbeingsmartandIworriedthat
praisingintelligenceandpracticeslikethatputaspotlightonintelligenceandalsotoldkidsthatswhat
wevalueyoufor,thatswhyweadmireyou.
Wevedonealongseriesofstudiesnowwithallagesofkidsandweveseenthatpraisingintelligence
backfires.Itputstheminafixedmindsetandnotwantchallenges.Theydontwanttorisklooking
stupidorriskmakingmistakes.Kidspraisedforintelligencecurtailtheirlearninginordertonever
makeamistake,inordertopreservethelabelyougavetothem.
Studentspraisedfortheprocesstheyengagedintheireffort,theirstrategies,theirfocus,their
perseverancethesekidstakeonhardtasksandstickwiththem,eveniftheymakelotsofmistakes.They
learnmoreinthelongrun.
OneDublin.org:Discussoneofthemanystudiesyouveperformedonmindsetsinmoredetail.

Dweck:Webroughtstudents,5thgraders,oneatatimeintoaroomfromtheirschoolandwegave

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Dweck:Webroughtstudents,5thgraders,oneatatimeintoaroomfromtheirschoolandwegave
themtenproblemsfromanonverbalI.Q.test.Aftertheycompletedthetenproblemswegaveeachchild
onekindofpraise.Somekidswerepraisedfortheirintelligence:Thatsareallygoodscore,youmustbe
smart.,somewerepraisedfortheprocessinthiscaseeffort:Boy,thatsareallygoodscore,youmust
haveworkedhard.,andsomekidswerejusttold:Thatsareallygoodscore.forpurposesof
comparison.
Wethenaskedstudents,So,whatdoyouwanttoworkonnow?andwedescribedeithertasksintheir
comfortzone(wheretheywouldntmakemistakes)orchallengingtasks(wheretheywouldmake
mistakesbutlearnsomethingimportant).
Themajorityofkidswhowerepraisedfortheirintelligencewantedtheeasytaskintheircomfortzone
whereastheoverwhelmingmajorityofkidspraisedfortheprocesswantedthehardtasktheycouldlearn
from.
Laterwegaveeveryonereallyhardproblemsandwesawthatthekidspraisedforintelligencelosttheir
confidencebecauseifsuccessmeanttheyweresmart,strugglemeanttheywerent,andtheylosttheir
enjoymentofthetask.Evenwhenwewentbacktotheeasiertasktheirperformancesuffered,andlater
ontheyliedabouttheirscore.
Thekidswhohadbeenpraisedfortheprocessstayedconfident,sawtheproblemswereharderand
workedatit,andremainedengaged.WhenwewentbacktotheeasierproblemstheirscoreontheI.Q.
testwashigherthanithadbeenbefore.Theydidntliewhenaskedabouthowtheyddoneonthehard
problemstheytoldthetruth,therewasnothingunderminingorhumiliatingaboutstrugglingwith
somethingnewordifficult.
Wedidthestudysixtimesbecausetheresultsweresopowerful:wewantedtomakesuretheresults
werereal.
OneDublin.org:Haveyoudoneanystudiesontheproclivitytocheatasitrelatedtothe
mindsets?
Dweck:Yeswehave.Weveshownwithalargesampleofmiddleschoolstudentsthatafterapoorscore
onatestthestudentswithafixedmindsetsayyes,theywouldseriouslyconsidercheating.ATVshow
inKorearecreatedourpraisestudiesandtheyshowedthatchildrenandadultswhoweretoldtheywere
brilliantforataskcheatedsubstantiallymorethanthosepraisedfortheirprocess,fortheireffort.
OneDublin.org:Havetherebeenlongitudinalstudiesthathavetrackedperformanceovertime
bymindset?
Dweck:Wevetrackedstudentsovertwoyears,studentsmakingatransitiontojuniorhigh(7th
grade),andwesawtheirmathgradespullapart.Theonlydifferencebetweenthetwogroupswastheir
mindset.
OneDublin.org:Whatstepsdoyourecommendparentsandteacherstakeinresponsetoyour
researchonmindsets?
Dweck:Ithinkthewaywepraise,thewaywetalktokids,allofthesemessagesareconveyingavalue

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Dweck:Ithinkthewaywepraise,thewaywetalktokids,allofthesemessagesareconveyingavalue
system.SowhenwesaytosomeoneOh,youresosmart,itsaysthatswhatwevalue.Whenwesayto
akidOh,youdidthatsoquickly,yourereallygoodatit,weretellingthemdoingsomethingquickly
andeasilymeansyouregoodatit,andifyouhavetoworkhardyouarentgoodatit.Orifwesay
Wow,Imreallyimpressed,andtheyhaventreallyworkedhard,thenweresayingthatswhat
impressesmethatifyoumakeamistake,ifyoustruggle,itdoesntimpressme.
Wehavetoreallysendtherightmessages,thattakingonachallengingtaskiswhatIadmire.Sticking
tosomethingandtryingmanystrategies,thatswhatIadmire.Thatstrugglingmeansyoure
committedtosomethingandarewillingtoworkhard.Parentsaroundthedinnertableandteachersin
theclassroomshouldask,Whohadafabulousstruggletoday?
OneDublin.org:YouveseenalotofstudentsinyourtimeatColumbiaandnowatStanford
whatadvicedoyouhavefortheClassof2012astheyleavehighschoolandtransitionto
college?
Dweck:Twothings.Oneistorememberthatthebraingrowsnewconnectionswhenyoulearnand
thatyouaregoingtohavetogrowalotofnewconnectionsincollege.Collegeisnotlikehighschooland
itreallyrequiresthatyouhunkerdown,diginandgetallthehelpthatyouneedtofigureoutthisnew
game.Andtheotherthing,whichisrelated,isfigureouthowtousealloftheresourcesinthe
environmenttohelpyouchoosetherightcourses,tohelpyounavigatethesystem,tomakeitasgoodan
experienceforyourselfasyoucan.
Alotofpeoplecomefromhighschoolswheretheyvebeenspoonfedortheyvegottenalotofattention,
wheretheyknowtheropes,andtheyfeelkindoflostincollege.Itsnotjustaboutfeelingthatyouhave
thebrainpowertotackletheacademicmaterial,itreallyisaboutfindingyourwayaround,andmaking
theenvironmentworkforyou.
RelatedArticles
LifeatStanfordUniversity:RavaliReddyonChoosingCardinalforCollegeColors
(http://onedublin.org/2010/11/25/lifeatstanforduniversityravalireddyonchoosing
cardinalforcollegecolors/)
Whydobeliefsaboutintelligenceinfluencelearningsuccess?
(https://www.stanford.edu/dept/psychology/cgi
bin/drupalm/system/files/cdwecklearning%20success.pdf)

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25Comments leaveone
1. Phyllis PERMALINK
June19,20127:49am
ThankyouOneDublin.orgforpublishingthegreatinterviewwithDr.Dweck!Ihadthehonor
andprivilegeofstudyingunderDr.DweckwhenIwasapsychologymajorattheUniversity
ofIllinois.Ilearnedsomuchfromher,butthemostimportantthingIlearnedwashertheories
onmindsetandthatreallydidhelpmeraisemydaughtersoverthepast22years,oneof
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whichjustgraduatedsummacumlaudefromUCLAthispastweekendnotbecauseshewas
brilliant(althoughIdosometimeskeepthatthoughtinthebackofmymind),butbecauseshe
workedhertushyoffthesepastfouryears!ThankyouDr.Dweckforhelpingmeraisetwo
wonderfulhardworkinggirlsandthankyouOneDublin.orgforgivingyourreadersthe
chancetolearnfromDr.DweckwhatIlearned33yearsago!
REPLY
2. Escher PERMALINK
July6,20122:08am
Veryinterestingandenlighteningarticle.IwonderifD.Dweckhasfolloweduptoseeifthe
mindsetissomethingfixedorchangeable?(ie.ifonemindsettakesholdat5thgrade,canit
thenbechangedby,say7thgrade?)Ihavethisnaggingfearthatthemindsetisunchangeable
beyondcertainage,andalsosomepeoplearemorechallengedatattaininggrowthmindset
(thinkabouttryingtogetADDorADHDchildrentoSTAYfocusedonthetaskathand).
REPLY
3. MaraTeresaGarza PERMALINK
September15,20126:13pm
IamreallydelightedbyDr.Dweckideas.Ithinktheyarebasictohelpchildrenachievein
schoolandlivehappierlives.Iwonderiftherehasbeenanystudiestryingtocorrelatethe
conceptsofmindsettypeandselfregulationprocesses?
REPLY
4. jadewesterman PERMALINK
August25,201411:26am
RebloggedthisonLearningHowtoLearnandcommented:
JamesMoreheadsinterviewwithCarolDweck,givenasaworthwhileadditionalpopular
articleforWeek1ReadingoftheLearningHowtoLearnMOOCcourseonCoursera.
Referencedwithinmypost,CoachingaGrowthMindset
REPLY

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