Stronger Growth Mindsets Research Articles

English Writing Mindsets and Feedback-Seeking Behaviors of Chinese College EFL Students

English writing effectively prompts learners to internalize the English language knowledge gained through reading and listening into their own linguistic and communicative competence, and thus comprehensively contributes to the improvement of their overall English language proficiency. English writing is the ultimate and most fundamental measure of students’ language proficiency. This study sought to investigate the relationship between English writing mindsets and feedback-seeking behaviors of selected Chinese EFL students. In this study, quantitative research was used. The respondents comprised 400 college students from three Chinese universities. Correlational analysis was used to handle the data that were gathered utilizing survey questionnaires. The results demonstrated that, on the whole, the participants tended toward a growth mindset in the setting of English writing mindset and that, by using monitoring or inquiry techniques and delaying feedback seeking, they had a favorable attitude toward feedback-seeking behaviors. Furthermore, the T-test findings indicated gender disparities in mindsets, with males having stronger growth mindset than females. Additionally, correlation analysis revealed a strong relationship between English writing mindsets and feedback-seeking behaviors. Students who frequently applied growth mindset also tended to have higher levels of feedback-seeking behaviors. Finally, pedagogical suggestions were put forward based on these findings.

Desperately Seeking Feedback: a phenomenographic study of medical students’ experiences during a 4-year longitudinal feedback curriculum

Introduction: The focus of feedback in medical education recently shifted to a dialogic partnership between teachers and learners, co-creating effective feedback exchanges. We previously described a prototype, longitudinal 4-year curriculum for medical students to develop feedback-seeking behaviors. We explored the students’ experiences as participants in this novel program. Methods: Beginning in academic year 2017-2018, we assessed the 4-year experiences of 14 medical students with a phenomenographic, qualitative approach. Three waves of semi-structured, individual interviews were conducted during the first 3 years. Focus groups were conducted in the final year of the program. Meaning units were identified, and categories were determined by such units. An outcome space was created based on an ordered set of categories. Results: Based on students’ early experience with the curriculum, 4 categories formed the outcome space: prior or lack of experience, factors impacting experience, learning artifice and techniques, and improving feedback skills. A heavy emphasis was placed on the feedback experience related to the climate of the learning environment and the relationship with the feedback-giver. Learning different feedback techniques was important. As the students progressed through medical school while experiencing the feedback curriculum, the outcome space clearly evolved, with a greater emphasis on refining feedback-seeking skills. Students had a stronger growth mindset in tailoring the feedback they sought. Feedback-seeking became a natural and routine habit. Conclusions: Medical students experienced an evolving emphasis on feedback-seeking. They increasingly recognized the value of effective feedback and confidently embraced feedback-seeking, using a range of techniques and refined approaches.

Mindset correlates with health-related quality of life assessment in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Mindset theory describes two different belief systems regarding ability: "fixed", in which a particular personal characteristic is seen as unchangeable, and "growth", in which the characteristic is viewed as malleable and subject to improvement. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how that mindset toward one's health correlates with health-related quality of life assessments (HRQoL) in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Patients undergoing brace treatment for AIS were prospectively recruited for this study and completed both an SRS-30 andHealth Mindset Scale questionnaire. Inclusion criteria for patients are based on Scoliosis Research Society standardized criteria for bracing studies: diagnosis of AIS, a prescribed TLSO brace for full-time wear, skeletal immaturity at brace initiation (Risser 0-2), Cobb angles 25-50 degrees, no prior treatment, and, if female, no more than 1year post-menarchal at the time of brace initiation. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing Mann-Whitney U tests for skewed data and two-sample t tests for normally distributed data.Multivariable models were also used to evaluate the relationships of SRS-30 subscores with health mindset, adjusting for age, gender, and pre-treatment curve magnitudes. Among the 110 enrolled patients, a stronger growth mindset was associated with significantly higher SRS-30 scores overall (p = 0.001), as well as in the appearance (p = 0.003), and mental (p = 0.001) subscores. We demonstrate that health mindset affects an AIS patients' HRQoL. Prior studies have demonstrated that mindset is malleable and can be altered. Further studies are required to determine whether changing health mindset from a fixed to a growth mindset can also improve HRQoL in patients with scoliosis.

Mindsets Matter for Linguistic Minority Students: Growth Mindsets Foster Greater Perceived Proficiency, Especially for Newcomers

AbstractGrowth language mindsets (i.e., beliefs that language ability can be improved) are found to sustain learners’ motivation and resilience in challenging situations. Considering that migrants who are speakers of languages other than the dominant ones often face challenging daily communications, we examined important but understudied questions of ‘how’ and ‘when’ growth language mindsets predict migrants’ language experiences, including language anxiety, language use, and perceived English proficiency. In 3 studies, we surveyed 2,163 foreign‐born university students in Canada who indicated English as their second language. We found that growth language mindsets positively predicted self‐assessed English proficiency, even 4 months after the initial assessment of mindsets. Answering ‘how,’ we found that migrants with stronger growth mindsets were less anxious, were more likely to use English, and reported higher proficiency, even after accounting for baseline proficiency. Concerning ‘when,’ we found that mindsets have significant and moderate association with language use, anxiety, and perceived proficiency for only more recently arrived students (who lived in the receiving country for less than 7 years). Although newly arrived migrants are more anxious about using English and less likely to use English, they are resilient when they envision growth in their new language. Growth mindsets may help English as a second language (ESL) students thrive in intercultural communication and succeed in language development.

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind: A Mindset Intervention for Obese Youth

As growth mindset intervention research continues to develop, more work is needed to understand how to most effectively implement these interventions to encourage healthy cognitions and behaviors. The present study details the initial testing of a single-session, online mindset intervention (Healthy Body, Healthy Mind) for obese children and adolescents enrolled in obesity treatment clinics. Using a pre to post-test design, results indicated that growth mindsets of health and cognitions related to health behavior (nutrition and exercise self-efficacy and perceived control) increased significantly. However, despite efforts to mitigate feelings of culpability, blame also increased from pretest to post-test. Yet, body dissatisfaction decreased significantly. Intrinsic value for health behaviors remained unchanged from pretest to post-test. Analysis of narratives suggests that youth were engaged with the intervention content. Additionally, when youth’s narratives incorporated themes related to the changeable nature of the attribute, they also self-reported stronger growth mindsets. In the discussion, we note implications of findings for the development of large-scale health-based growth mindset interventions that are developmentally-appropriate for children and adolescents.

Controllability Attribution as a Mediator in the Effect of Mindset on Achievement Goal Adoption Following Failure.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a growth mindset on achievement goal adoption in the face of failure. We also sought to investigate the mediating role of controllability attribution in order to understand the underlying process behind the effect of mindset on achievement goal adoption following failure. One hundred and seventy-two 4th and 5th grade students participated in an experimental task. In the manipulation phase, in related to the experimental task, 71 participants were provided with growth mindset-based information, and the other 101 were provided with fixed mindset-based information. After completing the experimental task on a computer, all participants were informed that they had failed the task. The participants then responded to controllability attribution and achievement goal scales. We empirically demonstrated that a growth mindset had a positive influence on mastery goal adoption, while it did not predict performance goal adoption. We also found that controllability attribution had a full mediation effect on the relationship between the presence of a growth mindset and mastery goal adoption; this finding implies that a key element in promoting the adoption of mastery goals following failure is attributing the failure to controllable causes, a belief which arises from a stronger growth mindset.

A socioecological perspective to understanding mental and physical health: The mediating role of relationship mindsets and goals

People’s mindsets and goals regarding social relationships affect their relationship quality and psychological well-being. We employed multiple group path modeling to examine how perceived relational mobility affects mental and physical health through relationship mindsets (destiny and growth mindsets) and relationship goals (approach and avoidance goals) across countries, surveying community adults in the U.S. ( n = 206; Mage = 39.14; 48% female) and South Korea ( n = 236; Mage = 38.89; 51% female) through online questionnaires. Results showed that stronger growth mindsets and approach goals predicted better mental and physical health, whereas stronger destiny mindsets and avoidance goals predicted poorer mental and physical health in both countries. Moreover, higher levels of relational mobility were linked to higher levels of subjective well-being and fewer depressive symptoms via growth mindsets and approach goals. The results provide evidence for the importance of socioecological factors such as relational mobility in influencing relationship mindsets and goals with eventual consequences for health outcomes.

“But it doesn’t come naturally”: how effort expenditure shapes the benefit of growth mindset on women’s sense of intellectual belonging in computing

Research suggests growth mindset, or the belief that knowledge is acquired through effort, may enhance women’s sense of belonging in male-dominated disciplines, like computing. However, other research indicates women who spend a great deal of time and energy in technical fields experience a low sense of belonging. The current study assessed the benefits of a growth mindset on women’s (and men’s) sense of intellectual belonging in computing, accounting for the amount of time and effort dedicated to academics. We define “intellectual belonging” as the sense that one is believed to be a competent member of the community. Whereas a stronger growth mindset was associated with stronger intellectual belonging for men, a growth mindset only boosted women’s intellectual belonging when they did not work hard on academics. Our findings suggest, paradoxically, women may not benefit from a growth mindset in computing when they exert a lot of effort.

Growing Growth Mindset with a Social Robot Peer.

Mindset has been shown to have a large impact on people's academic, social, and work achievements. A growth mindset, i.e., the belief that success comes from effort and perseverance, is a better indicator of higher achievements as compared to a fixed mindset, i.e., the belief that things are set and cannot be changed. Interventions aimed at promoting a growth mindset in children range from teaching about the brain's ability to learn and change, to playing computer games that grant brain points for effort rather than success. This work explores a novel paradigm to foster a growth mindset in young children where they play a puzzle solving game with a peer-like social robot. The social robot is fully autonomous and programmed with behaviors suggestive of it having either a growth mindset or a neutral mindset as it plays puzzle games with the child. We measure the mindset of children before and after interacting with the peer-like robot, in addition to measuring their problem solving behavior when faced with a challenging puzzle. We found that children who played with a growth mindset robot 1) self-reported having a stronger growth mindset and 2) tried harder during a challenging task, as compared to children who played with the neutral mindset robot. These results suggest that interacting with peer-like social robot with a growth mindset can promote the same mindset in children.