UT Professor Lectures Students on "Mindsets"
Society traditionally “wants to put you in a box and tell you what you can’t do and what you’re good at,” but a more realistic view of ourselves entails asking “what you can learn and ways you can grow,” guest speaker David Yeager, assistant psychology professor at The University of Texas, told students during Flex Block on March 2. A fellow at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, among numerous other positions that he holds, Yeager spoke as an expert on “mindsets,” particularly those that promote resilience. He said those with a “fixed” mindset tend to believe that talent is a set trait, there is no point in trying to succeed, and putting forth a lot of effort means a person must not be intelligent. “If I am dumb, I have to rely on luck,” said Dr. Yeager, referring to the thought of someone with a fixed mindset. Conversely, someone with a “growth” mindset believes that “trying harder makes you smarter and that obstacles can be overcome with effort, strategy, and help.”
In fact, GPA is a strong predictor of performance when standards are raised, he said. In other words, repeatedly tackling difficult mental tasks will strengthen and expand your mind, leading ultimately to higher grades.
Dr. Yeager said neurologists have discovered that less blood flows to the region of the brain dealing with problem solving in persons with fixed mindsets. Other studies have shown that the body produces cortisol, which lets the body know it is under some sort of threat, when a student with a fixed mindset is feeling excluded or being evaluated negatively. The body’s cortisol level remains low in a person with a growth mindset, because a person with a growth mindset typically feels he or she is not being judged.
Where do mindsets originate? Dr. Yeager cited a 1990s study showing that a tendency by adults to tell children they are smart can create a fixed mindset in the child, noting that a student will do worse on a problem if the student failed an earlier problem but was told he or she was smart nevertheless. “Failure feels really bad” when you are part of a culture that values being smart, he said. In actuality, “failure is an opportunity to grow and get better.”
Dr. Yeager said neurologists have discovered that less blood flows to the region of the brain dealing with problem solving in persons with fixed mindsets. Other studies have shown that the body produces cortisol, which lets the body know it is under some sort of threat, when a student with a fixed mindset is feeling excluded or being evaluated negatively. The body’s cortisol level remains low in a person with a growth mindset, because a person with a growth mindset typically feels he or she is not being judged.
Where do mindsets originate? Dr. Yeager cited a 1990s study showing that a tendency by adults to tell children they are smart can create a fixed mindset in the child, noting that a student will do worse on a problem if the student failed an earlier problem but was told he or she was smart nevertheless. “Failure feels really bad” when you are part of a culture that values being smart, he said. In actuality, “failure is an opportunity to grow and get better.”
Dr. Yeager said the brain is elastic, and mindsets can change if you seek out weaknesses in yourself and try to make those areas stronger. The more one forces the brain to think deep thoughts about difficult subjects, the more it will develop.
“You are not stuck being smart or dumb. Ask for help from as many people as possible. Having a sense of purpose about something that needs changing in society—something that is bigger than yourself—can be a reason to choose the more difficult task,” he recommended.
“You are not stuck being smart or dumb. Ask for help from as many people as possible. Having a sense of purpose about something that needs changing in society—something that is bigger than yourself—can be a reason to choose the more difficult task,” he recommended.
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