The Origins of Children's Growth and Fixed Mindsets: New Research and a New Proposal - PubMed (original) (raw)

Review

. 2017 Nov;88(6):1849-1859.

doi: 10.1111/cdev.12955. Epub 2017 Sep 14.

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Review

The Origins of Children's Growth and Fixed Mindsets: New Research and a New Proposal

Kyla Haimovitz et al. Child Dev. 2017 Nov.

Abstract

Children's mindsets about intelligence (as a quality they can grow vs. a trait they cannot change) robustly influence their motivation and achievement. How do adults foster "growth mindsets" in children? One might assume that adults act in ways that communicate their own mindsets to children. However, new research shows that many parents and teachers with growth mindsets are not passing them on. This article presents a new perspective on why this is the case, and reviews research on adult practices that do instill growth mindsets, concluding that a sustained focus on the process of learning is critical. After discussing key implications and promising future directions, we consider the topic in the context of important societal issues, like high-stakes testing.

© 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

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