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Talking about Success: Implications for Achievement Motivation
1Department of Psychology University of California, San Diego.
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
|September 4, 2009
Summary
Verbal descriptions about others' performance shape children's beliefs about ability. Labels suggesting innate talent hinder growth mindsets, while stories of overcoming challenges foster malleability and optimism.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Social Cognition
Background:
- Children's conceptions of ability influence their academic motivation and achievement.
- Understanding how these conceptions are formed is crucial for educational interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how verbal descriptions of others' performance impact elementary school children's ability conceptions.
- To examine the effects of labels and performance narratives on children's views of ability malleability.
Main Methods:
- Three studies were conducted with 177 elementary school children (ages 8-12).
- Participants were exposed to different verbal descriptions of characters' performance and ability.
- Children's perceptions of ability (innate vs. malleable) and effort were assessed.
Main Results:
- Descriptions using fixed labels (e.g., "math whiz") led children to view ability as innate.
- Narratives highlighting previous struggles fostered beliefs in ability malleability and academic optimism.
- Evidence suggests that descriptions of performance changes over time influence children's reasoning about ability.
Conclusions:
- Verbal descriptions, particularly fixed labels and stable performance narratives, can implicitly convey maladaptive ability conceptions to children.
- Educators and parents should be mindful of their language to promote growth mindsets.
- Promoting the idea that ability can be developed through effort is key for children's academic development.
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