Dweck's learning theory Flashcards
Who is Dweck
A famous psychologist from Stanford University In USA.
Spend many years researching what affects people’s achievements . A lot of research in schools, investigating what motivates children and adolescence to succeed and difference in thought process for those who fail to achieve potentials.
Two types of mindset
Fixed : intelligence is innate and therefore cannot be changed
Growth : Can develop intelligence over time
Someone with growth mindset realises that
Example
not everyone has same potential. For example: Not everyone talented as Mo Farah or Laura Kenny but understanding that they would not be successful w/o dedication, practise and constantly challenging themselves. At 2016 Olympics Mo Farah won gold medal although he tripped which shows his positive belief in his ability to achieve.
What does Dweck suggest about nearly every successful athletic, musician and talented person ?
Example
has a growth mindset which allows them to see failure as a challenge to improve, having resilience to deal with setbacks and practising their craft.
A talented swimmer initially beat others in race but have fixed mindset and think that they don’t need to practise .
Students who are less naturally talented but have growth mindset so, work harder = win
Fixed Mindset in school
student w Fixed mindset = concerned about looking intelligent so avoid doing things they may potentially fail at to protect self esteem and failure can affect it, making them believe there not as intelligent as they initially thought they were. Don’t like making effort = believe intelligence is innate and therefore shouldn’t need to practise.
Growth Mindset in school
With effort and practise, they can improve. Setbacks = challenges and opportunity to learn from mistakes. Something quick is not necessary good = skill deeply learnt
Having more than one mindset
Dweck suggests individuals can hold different mindsets for different abilities.
Reducing bullying
A growth mindset has found to have other benefits . For example: Yeager, Trzesnieski, Dweck investigated benefit of growth mindset on reducing aggression and bullying. Students in incremental theory intervention group behaved less aggressively and demonstrated more pro -social behaviour than the control group.
Dweck’s ideas on praise for effort
Mueller and Dweck investigated effect of praise on achievement examining effect of praising intelligence VS praising effort. Children who were praised for intelligence, when they succeeded in task often chose problem solving tasks that they’re able to succeed in rather than choosing the ones that challenge them. Children praised for working hard chose problem-solving tasks that would increase their intelligence.
children praised for intelligence = value performance ( compare themselves to others, when they fail they attribute it to their intelligence rather than lack of effort )
children praised for effort = value learning opportunity when they fail they attribute it to their lack of effort.
Praising effort leads to growth mindset, praising intelligence leads to fixed mindset. praising intelligence = limit and there is a ceiling = cannot develop. result in problems for young people when GSCES no hard for them but confronted with tougher A levels.
Criticisms
Alfie Kohn critics Dweck’s view, suggesting that it conveys the message that children are not good at what they are doing, “ if I am praised for effort instead of my achievement I must be doing something wrong.
Places failure onto student. fail to achieve is seen as due to not working hard enough or fixed mindset but it could be due to other factors like bullying = effect ability to focus. Emphasis on fixing mindset could have detrimental effect on self esteem and mindset
Theory challenged by large scale study. EEF founded research into growth mindset in schools in UK. Children in 30 schools given intervention that taught about growth mindset. Results = no significant difference in progress of English or maths compared to control group.
state 2 other criticisms
Possible that there is more research which has failed to find evidence that mindsets work. In psychology it tends to be that research that has significant results published, giving an unrealistic view about the extend that theory supported by research results.
Nurture key aspect of this theory and it assumes children can change themselves, but this can have a negative impact on their self esteem if they fail to succeed . Ignores nature and innate traits of persons ability.
