Mindsets: Creating Confident and Effective Learners

Center for ConfidenceCreating Confident Individuals

September 18, 2008

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

* Subjecttypes

response and confidence

1.5 s 2 s

* Correctanswer

1.5 s

Ability-Relevant Feedback

Learning-Relevant Feedback

1 s

Paying Attention to Learning

or

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

5

7.5

10

12.5

15

17.5

20

FIXED GROWTH

25.9% increase

How are Mindsets Communicated?

Messages We Send to Students

Effects of Intelligence vs. Effort Praise

• Mindset: Fixed vs. Growth• Goals: Looking smart vs. Learning After Difficult Trial:• Confidence: Low vs. High • Motivation: Low vs. High• Performance: Decreased vs. Increased

Number of problems solved on Trial 1 (before failure) and

Trial 3 (after failure).

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

Trial 1 Trial 3

Effort PraiseControl PraiseIntelligence Praise

Num

ber o

f Pro

blem

s Sol

ved

Lying Students who misrepresented their scores

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

Intelligence Control Effort

Type of Praise Given

Changing Mindsets

Math Grades(Blackwell, Trzesniewski, & Dweck)

2.2

2.3

2.4

2.5

2.6

2.7

2.8

Before After

ControlBraInology

Percent Identified as Increasing in Motivation

9

27

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Control Growth

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

* Subjecttypes

response and confidence

1.5 s 2 s

* Correctanswer

1.5 s

Ability-Relevant Feedback

Learning-Relevant Feedback

1 s

Paying Attention to Learning

or