Productivity and mindset
What is mindset?
Growth and fixed mindset are terms coined by Stanford psychologist Dr. Carol Dweck.
| Someone with a fixed mindset believes that... | Someone with a growth mindset believes... |
| People are born smart | People gain knowledge and understanding through practice and exposure |
| Intelligence can’t be changed | Anyone can become an expert with practice |
| Having to work hard is a sign of weakness | Having to work hard is just part of the human experience |
Dweck is careful to point out that nobody has entirely one mindset or the other. The two exist on a spectrum, and can be different in different areas of our lives and at different times in our lives. Becoming aware of our mindset and encouraging ourselves to have more of a growth mindset is one of the most powerful ways we can improve our learning in any area—whether it is academics or some other part of our lives.
Why does this matter?
Having a growth mindset can improve your learning. Make a daily practice of noticing your thoughts and identifying when you are operating with a fixed or growth mindset. What are you telling yourself about the “struggle”? With practice, you can get better at flipping a fixed mindset into a growth mindset.
Ex: “I didn’t get the grade I wanted on that exam, and I am having the thought that the grade makes me less intelligent." change to "I’ll work harder, and get some help. I’m still learning.”
Links for Mindset & Citations:
https://ed.stanford.edu/faculty/dweck
Boaler, J. (2014). The Mathematics of Hope, Heinemann
Boaler, J. (2015). Mathematical Mindsets: Unleashing Students’ Potential Through Creative Math, Inspiring Messages and Innovative Teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Dweck, C. (2015). Carol Dweck revisits the growth mindset. Education Week, 35(5), 20-24.
Dweck, C. (2012). Mindset: Changing the way you think to fulfill your potential. Hachette UK.
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. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.33
Moser, J. S., Schroder, H. S., Heeter, C., Moran, T. P., & Lee, Y. H. (2011). Mind Your Errors Evidence for a Neural Mechanism Linking Growth Mind-Set to Adaptive Posterror Adjustments. Psychological Science, 0956797611419520.
Steuer, G., Rosentritt-Brunn, G., & Dresel, M. (2013). Dealing with errors in mathematics classrooms: Structure and relevance of perceived error climate. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 38(3), 196-210.