Dweck's Mindset Theory of Learning (AQA GCSE Psychology): Revision Note
Exam code: 8182
Fixed mindset
A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence and ability are fixed or innate, i.e. set by your genes and unable to change however hard you try
People with a fixed mindset have the following characteristics:
They think you either have 'it' (sporting ability, musical talent, academic intelligence) or you don't
They see effort as pointless, and even as a bad sign: if you have to work hard, you can't be very talented. So if they aren't doing well, they give up
They are focused on performance goals – looking good, winning, getting the top mark – and only feel good about themselves when they are succeeding
Failure is taken as proof of low ability, which makes trying again feel pointless
Typical fixed-mindset thinking includes:
"What's the point? I wasn't made for dancing, so why take ballet lessons?"
"I'll never understand Psychology, there's no point trying"
"My sister plays the piano without even trying – I'm not like her"
In short, a fixed mindset says "I can't do it"
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Use your own personal experience of trying to learn or improve in a skill to help you understand how sometimes everyone may fall into fixed-mindset thinking
Growth mindset
A growth mindset is the belief that ability can be developed through effort and practice, i.e. you can always get a little better
This doesn't mean anyone can become the best; it means everyone can improve if they work at it
People with a growth mindset have the following characteristics:
They value effort and enjoy being challenged, even when they don't succeed straight away
They are focused on learning goals (getting better at something) and feel good when they are working hard, not only when they win
Failure is seen as useful information: a chance to learn what went wrong and try a different approach
Typical growth-mindset thinking:
"I didn't get it this time – what do I need to change?"
"This is hard, which means I'm learning"
In short, a growth mindset says "I can't do it yet"
A continuum
Mindset is not either/or: people sit on a continuum from very fixed to very growth-oriented
The same person may have a growth mindset in one area (e.g. sport) and a fixed mindset in another (e.g. maths), and mindsets can change over time
Dweck argues mindsets can be taught
Evaluation of application of Dweck’s mindset theory of learning
Strengths
Research support: Blackwell et al. (2007) taught 48 low-achieving 12–13-year-olds that intelligence grows like a muscle; their motivation and grades improved while a control group's did not. This shows a growth mindset can be taught
Real-world application: The theory is used in schools, sport and workplaces. Yeager et al. (2019) found a growth-mindset programme of under an hour improved the grades of lower-achieving US secondary students
Weaknesses
Both mindsets still depend on praise: Praising effort is still praise from someone else, so learners may work to earn approval rather than becoming self-motivated
Puts the responsibility on the individual: the theory implies that failure is mainly down to the learner's mindset. This can overlook real obstacles such as poor teaching or difficult home circumstances, which no amount of mindset change will fix
Worked Example
Here is an example of a question you might be asked on this topic - for AO1, AO2 and AO3.
AO1: You need to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key concepts, ideas, theories and research.
AO2: You need to apply your knowledge and understanding, usually referring to the ‘stem’ in order to do so (the stem is the example given before the question)
AO3: You need to analyse and evaluate key concepts, ideas, theories and research.
After each featured question there is a ‘model’ answer i.e. one which would achieve top marks in the exam.
Nancy and Tonya are trying to execute a triple toe-loop which they will need to demonstrate in a competition in six months.
Nancy: ‘This toe-loop is so difficult, I don’t know how the coach expects us to be ready for competition in six months. I feel like giving up.’
Tonya: ‘I know what you mean but I think if we just keep practising one day we’ll get it and then we’ll feel so good about ourselves and we’ll be ready for the competition’.
Question: Use your knowledge of both negative schemas as an explanation for depression and Dweck’s Mindset theory of learning to explain why these two skaters responded in different ways.
Briefly evaluate both negative schemas as an explanation for depression and Dweck’s Mindset theory [9]
AO1 = 3 marks
AO2 = 3 marks
AO3 = 3 marks
AO1:
Model answer:
People with a fixed mindset believe that success is due to innate factors like genes which means that there is nothing you can do to change your ability or talent.
People with a growth mindset believe that ability and success is due to hard work and perseverance.
Negative schemas lead people to interpret events in a biased way. They tend to interpret things in pessimistic ways and often ignore more positive ways of viewing events.
AO2:
Model answer:
Nancy’s comments suggest that she has a fixed mindset as she thinks that the toe-loop jump is too difficult and that it’s not within her capabilities to achieve it.
Tonya’s comments suggest that she has a growth mindset as she is determined to practice what she thinks she is capable of achieving and so increases the likelihood of competing successfully.
Nancy’s comments suggest that she may have negative schemas because she has a ‘doom and gloom’ attitude about the toe-loop, believing that she’ll never nail it. Tonya’s comments show that she is not allowing negative schemas to interfere with her practice.
AO3:
Model answer:
One strength of mindset theory is that people can change their mindset and this can be used to improve performance in different contexts such as at school, in sports or the workplace.
Knowledge and understanding of negative schemas have led to effective treatments for mental health disorders like depression by helping people to identify and challenge their negative patterns of thinking.
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