Exploring Effects of Mixed Mindset Messages From Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Instructors

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2024

Abstract

Instructors who create growth mindset cultures by communicating that students’ abilities can improve can reduce their students’ anxiety and increase their belonging and motivation, resulting in higher performance. However, in real college classrooms, it is unlikely that instructors ever perfectly communicate a growth mindset or a fixed mindset; rather, their messages may be mixed. Across three studies (N = 1,312), we find that undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students who encounter mixed mindset messages anticipate worse motivational and psychological outcomes than students who encounter “pure” growth mindset messages (Studies 1–2) and, often, than students who encounter no mindset messages at all (Study 2). Further, as the fixed mindset components in a message increase, students’ outcomes steadily deteriorate, until reaching a saturation point of approximately 75% fixed mindset messages (Study 3). These findings underscore the importance of instructors sending clear growth mindset messages and avoiding fixed or mixed ones.

Comments

Online before

DOI

10.1037/mot0000381

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