stanford university’s carol dweck on the growth mindset and education
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Growth mindset and educationTRANSCRIPT
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1/10/2015 StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowthMindsetandEducation|OneDublin.org
http://onedublin.org/2012/06/19/stanforduniversityscaroldweckonthegrowthmindsetandeducation/ 1/9
StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowthMindsetandEducation
JUNE19,2012byJamesMoreheadYouresotalented!,Youaregiftedanatural!,Youredoingsowellinschool,youmustbereallysmart!childrenreceivethesemessages(ortheirnegativecounterparts),alongwithmanyothermessagesonadailybasisfromtheirpeers,parentsandteachers.Arethesejustwordsordotheymeanmore?Howarechildrenaffectedbythewordsweusetopraise,coachandcriticizethem?
IrecentlymetwithStanfordUniversitysCarolS.Dweck(https://www.stanford.edu/dept/psychology/cgibin/drupalm/cdweck)(DepartmentofPsychologyLewisandVirginiaEatonProfessor)tolearnmoreaboutherfascinatingresearchintoselfconceptions(ormindsets(http://mindsetonline.com/))peopleusetostructuretheselfandguidetheirbehavior.IreachedouttoDr.DweckafterreadingherbookMindset:TheNewPsychologyofSuccess(http://www.amazon.com/MindsetPsychologySuccessCarolDweck/dp/1400062756/sr=81/qid=1158604938/ref=pd_bbs_1/10218095684984946?ie=UTF8&s=books)whichchallengedmybeliefsystemaboutintelligence.WhileIbelievedhardworkcanmakethedifferencebetweentwointelligentpeople,Ialsobelievedintelligencetobemoreofafixedtraitsomethingyouarebornwith,ratherthansomethingyoucandevelop.
Dr.Dwecksresearch,compellingandthorough,challengesthiswidelyheldbelief,orfixedmindset,bydemonstratinghowpowerfulagrowthmindsetcanbeinachievingsuccessandhappiness.
OneDublin.org:Whatsparkedyourinterestinthefieldofpsychology?
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1/10/2015 StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowthMindsetandEducation|OneDublin.org
http://onedublin.org/2012/06/19/stanforduniversityscaroldweckonthegrowthmindsetandeducation/ 2/9
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CarolDweck:Iwasalwaysinterestedinpeopleandwhytheydowhattheydo,andthatcrystallizedincollege.Psychologycombinedmanyofmyinterests:IlovedthescientificmethodputtingyourideastothetestandIlikedthehumansubjectmatterofpsychology.
Werealwaysbeingtoldnowadaystofindyourpassion.Isaybuildyourpassionfindorcreateatopic,andawayofstudyingit,thatwillbecomeyourpassion.WhatIdoinpsychologydidntexistIhadtobuildit.
OneDublin.org:Whatwasyourtriggertopursueresearchintomindsets?
Dweck:Iwasfascinatedbyhowpeoplecopewithfailureorobstacles.Iwascuriousaboutwhysomestudentslovechallenge,andotherswhomaybeequallytalented,shyawayfromchallengesplayitsafe.Ijustwantedtofigurethatout.
LateronIalsorealizedthatthisinterestwasfedbyapastexperienceofmine.My6thgradeteacherseatedusaroundtheroominI.Q.order(asItalkaboutinthebook(http://www.amazon.com/MindsetPsychologySuccessCarolDweck/dp/1400062756/sr=81/qid=1158604938/ref=pd_bbs_1/10218095684984946?ie=UTF8&s=books)),andalthoughIdidwellinthatmetricitcreatedthisfearoffallingfromgrace,ofmakingthemistakeofnotbeingasperfectasIneededtobe.Iwantedtounlockthatpsychologyandmaybebottleit,findouttheunderlyingreasonspeopleareafraidofchallengesorcrumblinginthefaceofsetbacks,andultimatelyhelpkids.
OneDublin.org:Whenyoustartedyourresearchdidyouhavemuchtodrawfrom?
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1/10/2015 StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowthMindsetandEducation|OneDublin.org
http://onedublin.org/2012/06/19/stanforduniversityscaroldweckonthegrowthmindsetandeducation/ 3/9
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Dweck:Therewereinklingsofresearch.Therewasworkonlearnedhelplessnessinanimals,whereanimalswouldstoptryingtodothingsthatwerewithintheirpowertodo,becauseoftheirpastexperiences.Therestartedtobeworkinattributiontheory,showinghowpeoplesinterpretationsoftheirsuccessesandfailurescouldreallyinfluencetheirmotivation.InmyworkIstartedtoputthosethingstogetherIstartedtoaskifchildrensinterpretationoftheirmistakesorsetbackscouldcreatetheirresponses.
OneDublin.org:Whatisyourdefinitionoffixedandgrowthmindsets?
Dweck:Inafixedmindsetstudentsbelievetheirbasicabilities,theirintelligence,theirtalents,arejustfixedtraits.Theyhaveacertainamountandthatsthat,andthentheirgoalbecomestolooksmartallthetimeandneverlookdumb.
Inagrowthmindsetstudentsunderstandthattheirtalentsandabilitiescanbedevelopedthrougheffort,goodteachingandpersistence.TheydontnecessarilythinkeveryonesthesameoranyonecanbeEinstein,buttheybelieveeveryonecangetsmarteriftheyworkatit.
OneDublin.org:Isthereawidelyheldbeliefinthefixedmindsetandwhatisthesourceofmindsets?
Dweck:Bothmindsetsarewidelyheld.Generallywefindabout40%ofpeople,studentsandadults,
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1/10/2015 StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowthMindsetandEducation|OneDublin.org
http://onedublin.org/2012/06/19/stanforduniversityscaroldweckonthegrowthmindsetandeducation/ 4/9
Dweck:Bothmindsetsarewidelyheld.Generallywefindabout40%ofpeople,studentsandadults,endorsethegrowthmindset,40%thefixedandtheremainderareinthemiddletheycantmakeuptheirminds.
Ithinkbothmindsetsarerampantinourculture.Wevealwayshadthemessagethatpracticemakesperfect,anyonecandoanythingiftheyputtheirmindstoit,butwealsohavethisworshipofgeniusandtalent.Whenwelookattremendousperformers,likeMichaelJordan,whenwelookatsuperstars,whenwelookatgeniuses,weassumetheywerebornthatwaybecausewedontseewhatwentintotheiraccomplishments.
IteachafreshmanseminarhereatStanfordeveryyearonmindsets.ForoneassignmentIhavethestudentsdoresearchontheirheroandfindoutwhethertheherowassofamousorsuccessfulbecausetheywerenaturallytalentedorwhethertheyinfacttheyhadtoovercomealotofadversityandworkreallyhard.Notoncehasiteverbeenthecasethattheirherocoasted.
OneDublin.org:WithallthatsbeenwrittenaboutthesuccessofApple,andtheroleSteveJobsplayedinthatsuccess,howwouldyouclassifySteveJobs?
Dweck:IvethoughtaboutitalotwhenIreadSteveJobsbiographyandIthinkJobshadarealgrowthmindsetabouthimself.Hewasconstantlyexperimenting,usingthefeedbackandcreatingnewthingsfromit.ButIdontthinkhenecessarilyhadagrowthmindsetaboutotherpeople.Hewantedthemtobeperfectandtheylivedinfearofcomingtohimandgettinghisdisapproval,insteadofhisapproval.Youcanhaveadifferentmindsetaboutyourselfandotherpeople.
OneDublin.org:WhatarethedownsidesforparentsusingphraseslikethiswiththeirchildrenYouaresosmart!andYouaresotalented!
Dweck:Ithinktheselfesteemmovementreallytrainedoursocietysintuitionsabouthowtocreatehappyandsuccessfulkids.Theideawasyoucouldhandkidsselfesteemonasilverplatterbypraisingthem,bytellingthemhowsmartandspecialtheyare,andthiswouldsetthemforlifeandeverythingelsegoodwouldfollow.ButIhadalreadybeendoingresearchonvulnerableandresilientkidsfordecadesandIknewitwasthevulnerableonesthatwerefocusedonbeingsmartandIworriedthatpraisingintelligenceandpracticeslikethatputaspotlightonintelligenceandalsotoldkidsthatswhatwevalueyoufor,thatswhyweadmireyou.
Wevedonealongseriesofstudiesnowwithallagesofkidsandweveseenthatpraisingintelligencebackfires.Itputstheminafixedmindsetandnotwantchallenges.Theydontwanttorisklookingstupidorriskmakingmistakes.Kidspraisedforintelligencecurtailtheirlearninginordertonevermakeamistake,inordertopreservethelabelyougavetothem.
Studentspraisedfortheprocesstheyengagedintheireffort,theirstrategies,theirfocus,theirperseverancethesekidstakeonhardtasksandstickwiththem,eveniftheymakelotsofmistakes.Theylearnmoreinthelongrun.
OneDublin.org:Discussoneofthemanystudiesyouveperformedonmindsetsinmoredetail.
Dweck:Webroughtstudents,5thgraders,oneatatimeintoaroomfromtheirschoolandwegave
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1/10/2015 StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowthMindsetandEducation|OneDublin.org
http://onedublin.org/2012/06/19/stanforduniversityscaroldweckonthegrowthmindsetandeducation/ 5/9
Dweck:Webroughtstudents,5thgraders,oneatatimeintoaroomfromtheirschoolandwegavethemtenproblemsfromanonverbalI.Q.test.Aftertheycompletedthetenproblemswegaveeachchildonekindofpraise.Somekidswerepraisedfortheirintelligence:Thatsareallygoodscore,youmustbesmart.,somewerepraisedfortheprocessinthiscaseeffort:Boy,thatsareallygoodscore,youmusthaveworkedhard.,andsomekidswerejusttold:Thatsareallygoodscore.forpurposesofcomparison.
Wethenaskedstudents,So,whatdoyouwanttoworkonnow?andwedescribedeithertasksintheircomfortzone(wheretheywouldntmakemistakes)orchallengingtasks(wheretheywouldmakemistakesbutlearnsomethingimportant).
Themajorityofkidswhowerepraisedfortheirintelligencewantedtheeasytaskintheircomfortzonewhereastheoverwhelmingmajorityofkidspraisedfortheprocesswantedthehardtasktheycouldlearnfrom.
Laterwegaveeveryonereallyhardproblemsandwesawthatthekidspraisedforintelligencelosttheirconfidencebecauseifsuccessmeanttheyweresmart,strugglemeanttheywerent,andtheylosttheirenjoymentofthetask.Evenwhenwewentbacktotheeasiertasktheirperformancesuffered,andlaterontheyliedabouttheirscore.
Thekidswhohadbeenpraisedfortheprocessstayedconfident,sawtheproblemswereharderandworkedatit,andremainedengaged.WhenwewentbacktotheeasierproblemstheirscoreontheI.Q.testwashigherthanithadbeenbefore.Theydidntliewhenaskedabouthowtheyddoneonthehardproblemstheytoldthetruth,therewasnothingunderminingorhumiliatingaboutstrugglingwithsomethingnewordifficult.
Wedidthestudysixtimesbecausetheresultsweresopowerful:wewantedtomakesuretheresultswerereal.
OneDublin.org:Haveyoudoneanystudiesontheproclivitytocheatasitrelatedtothemindsets?
Dweck:Yeswehave.Weveshownwithalargesampleofmiddleschoolstudentsthatafterapoorscoreonatestthestudentswithafixedmindsetsayyes,theywouldseriouslyconsidercheating.ATVshowinKorearecreatedourpraisestudiesandtheyshowedthatchildrenandadultswhoweretoldtheywerebrilliantforataskcheatedsubstantiallymorethanthosepraisedfortheirprocess,fortheireffort.
OneDublin.org:Havetherebeenlongitudinalstudiesthathavetrackedperformanceovertimebymindset?
Dweck:Wevetrackedstudentsovertwoyears,studentsmakingatransitiontojuniorhigh(7thgrade),andwesawtheirmathgradespullapart.Theonlydifferencebetweenthetwogroupswastheirmindset.
OneDublin.org:Whatstepsdoyourecommendparentsandteacherstakeinresponsetoyourresearchonmindsets?
Dweck:Ithinkthewaywepraise,thewaywetalktokids,allofthesemessagesareconveyingavalue
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1/10/2015 StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowthMindsetandEducation|OneDublin.org
http://onedublin.org/2012/06/19/stanforduniversityscaroldweckonthegrowthmindsetandeducation/ 6/9
Dweck:Ithinkthewaywepraise,thewaywetalktokids,allofthesemessagesareconveyingavaluesystem.SowhenwesaytosomeoneOh,youresosmart,itsaysthatswhatwevalue.WhenwesaytoakidOh,youdidthatsoquickly,yourereallygoodatit,weretellingthemdoingsomethingquicklyandeasilymeansyouregoodatit,andifyouhavetoworkhardyouarentgoodatit.OrifwesayWow,Imreallyimpressed,andtheyhaventreallyworkedhard,thenweresayingthatswhatimpressesmethatifyoumakeamistake,ifyoustruggle,itdoesntimpressme.
Wehavetoreallysendtherightmessages,thattakingonachallengingtaskiswhatIadmire.Stickingtosomethingandtryingmanystrategies,thatswhatIadmire.Thatstrugglingmeansyourecommittedtosomethingandarewillingtoworkhard.Parentsaroundthedinnertableandteachersintheclassroomshouldask,Whohadafabulousstruggletoday?
OneDublin.org:YouveseenalotofstudentsinyourtimeatColumbiaandnowatStanfordwhatadvicedoyouhavefortheClassof2012astheyleavehighschoolandtransitiontocollege?
Dweck:Twothings.Oneistorememberthatthebraingrowsnewconnectionswhenyoulearnandthatyouaregoingtohavetogrowalotofnewconnectionsincollege.Collegeisnotlikehighschoolanditreallyrequiresthatyouhunkerdown,diginandgetallthehelpthatyouneedtofigureoutthisnewgame.Andtheotherthing,whichisrelated,isfigureouthowtousealloftheresourcesintheenvironmenttohelpyouchoosetherightcourses,tohelpyounavigatethesystem,tomakeitasgoodanexperienceforyourselfasyoucan.
Alotofpeoplecomefromhighschoolswheretheyvebeenspoonfedortheyvegottenalotofattention,wheretheyknowtheropes,andtheyfeelkindoflostincollege.Itsnotjustaboutfeelingthatyouhavethebrainpowertotackletheacademicmaterial,itreallyisaboutfindingyourwayaround,andmakingtheenvironmentworkforyou.
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fromEducationInnovation25Comments leaveone1. Phyllis PERMALINK
June19,20127:49amThankyouOneDublin.orgforpublishingthegreatinterviewwithDr.Dweck!IhadthehonorandprivilegeofstudyingunderDr.DweckwhenIwasapsychologymajorattheUniversityofIllinois.Ilearnedsomuchfromher,butthemostimportantthingIlearnedwashertheoriesonmindsetandthatreallydidhelpmeraisemydaughtersoverthepast22years,oneof
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1/10/2015 StanfordUniversitysCarolDweckontheGrowthMindsetandEducation|OneDublin.org
http://onedublin.org/2012/06/19/stanforduniversityscaroldweckonthegrowthmindsetandeducation/ 8/9
whichjustgraduatedsummacumlaudefromUCLAthispastweekendnotbecauseshewasbrilliant(althoughIdosometimeskeepthatthoughtinthebackofmymind),butbecausesheworkedhertushyoffthesepastfouryears!ThankyouDr.DweckforhelpingmeraisetwowonderfulhardworkinggirlsandthankyouOneDublin.orgforgivingyourreadersthechancetolearnfromDr.DweckwhatIlearned33yearsago!
REPLY2. Escher PERMALINK
July6,20122:08amVeryinterestingandenlighteningarticle.IwonderifD.Dweckhasfolloweduptoseeifthemindsetissomethingfixedorchangeable?(ie.ifonemindsettakesholdat5thgrade,canitthenbechangedby,say7thgrade?)Ihavethisnaggingfearthatthemindsetisunchangeablebeyondcertainage,andalsosomepeoplearemorechallengedatattaininggrowthmindset(thinkabouttryingtogetADDorADHDchildrentoSTAYfocusedonthetaskathand).
REPLY3. MaraTeresaGarza PERMALINK
September15,20126:13pmIamreallydelightedbyDr.Dweckideas.Ithinktheyarebasictohelpchildrenachieveinschoolandlivehappierlives.Iwonderiftherehasbeenanystudiestryingtocorrelatetheconceptsofmindsettypeandselfregulationprocesses?
REPLY4. jadewesterman PERMALINK
August25,201411:26amRebloggedthisonLearningHowtoLearnandcommented:JamesMoreheadsinterviewwithCarolDweck,givenasaworthwhileadditionalpopulararticleforWeek1ReadingoftheLearningHowtoLearnMOOCcourseonCoursera.Referencedwithinmypost,CoachingaGrowthMindset
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