Growth mindset relates to the belief that change is possible. Individuals with a growth mindset tend to believe that our essential attributes, such as intelligence or athletic ability, are malleable, and can be developed through hard work and effective strategies, whereas a fixed mindset relates to the belief that these characteristics are fixed (Dweck & Leggett, 1988). It is a theory about responses to challenges or setbacks. The idea had a considerable impact, and has also fostered its critics, primarily in the education environment where it has been applied very broadly; growth mindset interventions have yielded mixed results in terms of outcomes for students, and findings haven’t always been repeated. Whether it is universal is also in question, as cultural influences have been shown to impact the correlation between interventions and outcomes (see Li & Bates, 2019, on how studies in China have shown a null effect).
Carol Dweck, who coined the term, responds to her critics in an interview published in TES magazine (Severs, 2020). She states that it was a mistake for educators to believe it was a complete solution when her popular book was published in 2006. As a result, how it has been taught in schools has been variable, and often over simplified. She cites the problem of teaching the concept and then expecting that the student will act:
“Even though the teacher is not changing the policies and practices in the classroom. It is not about teaching the concept alone, it is much more about implementing practices that focus on growth and learning.”
The nature of the intervention, and how well-crafted it is, is a factor; does it leave students with an idea of how to put the theory into action? Is the approach autonomy supportive rather than didactic and dogmatic?
And yet, despite criticism, multiple studies and meta-analysis has shown that growth mindset interventions can have a positive effect on achievement (Sisk et al, 2018; Yeager & Dweck, 2020). Additionally, said interventions can positively affect resilience and determination. However, it clearly requires more than a PowerPoint slide to encourage individuals to adopt a growth mindset and begin to move the dial in relation to their results.
What makes for an effective growth mindset intervention?
It may be beneficial to go back a step, and look at a preceding idea, Albert Bandura’s theory of ‘self-efficacy’ (1977). This states that an individual’s belief that they can successfully perform a behaviour, and bring about an outcome, will positively impact the effort they will put in, their resilience in the face of setbacks, and the success of the endeavour. In multiple studies and meta-analyses, people with high levels of self-efficacy belief about a given field, correlates with their ability to achieve in that field. Similar to growth mindset, high levels of self-efficacy in individuals have been linked to wellbeing, resilience, and the ability to engage positively with change. Also similar to growth mindset, the theory isn’t perfect; there are instances where high levels of belief may lead to a lack of focus or attention, or even arrogance (see Brender-Ilan & Sheaffer (2019) on how high levels of leadership self-efficacy could have a ‘dark side’.)
To develop self efficacy, Bandura suggested we need the following:
Bandura provides a useful guide for how we might also develop a growth mindset in ourselves and those around us, where we perceive this to be advantageous. Bandura’s insights reinforce Dweck’s argument that simply explaining the idea won’t necessarily change behaviour. People may need to observe examples, experiment, reflect on their learning, and be positively encouraged over time. An effective intervention won’t simply be a presentation; the environment we are in, who we observe, how we are supported, and our corresponding emotional states are likely to be key factors in the development of a growth mindset.
A final thought: an aspect of self-efficacy theory is that it tends to relate to specific behaviours and activities. It’s not quite the same as self-confidence, which is a more general belief that we can cope with life. Growth mindset is sometimes interpreted very generally, as something we should have about all aspects of our professional lives, which can be unhelpful. I don’t enjoy networking, I’m not much good at it, I find small talk uncomfortable, and I can’t think of any occasions where it’s resulted in anything positive. I have made peace with the fact that although it may hold my back somewhat, it’s not for me, thank you very much. In fact, making peace with our dislikes and our weaknesses can be very liberating. A focussed interpretation of growth mindset, towards specific aspects of life where we desire or need to change, is perhaps another point that can be borrowed from Bandura’s insights.
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review, 84, 191-215.
Brender-Ilan, Y., & Sheaffer, Z. (2019). How do self-efficacy, narcissism and autonomy mediate the link between destructive leadership and counterproductive work behaviour. Asia Pacific Management Review, 24(3), 212-222.
Dweck, C. S., Leggett, E. L. (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychological Review, 25(2), 109–116.
Li, Y., & Bates, T.C. (2020). Testing the association of growth mindset and grades across a challenging transition: Is growth mindset associated with grades? Intelligence, 81, 101471. 10.1016
Severs, J. (2020, 11 April). Growth mindset: where did it go wrong? https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/growth-mindset-where-did-it-go-wrong
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., Dahl, R.E., & Dweck, C.S. (2018). Why interventions to influence adolescent behavior often fail but could succeed. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13(1), 101–122.
Yeager, D.S., & Dweck, C.S. (2020). What can be learned from growth mindset controversies? Am Psychol, 75(9):1269-1284.