Reflection On The Idea Of Fixed Vs. Growth Mindset

Psych 356: Reflection Paper

The topic that I have found most intriguing in this class so far is the idea of fixed vs. growth mindset, as discussed in the motivation lectures and the Dweck (2007) reading. As Dweck (2007) states, these two mindsets refer to the way in which we view intelligence. On one hand, a fixed mindset posits that intelligence is an innate characteristic and that we cannot do much to change it. For many students, a fixed mindset is demotivating because it implies that they cannot improve their intelligence. Therefore, if a student fails a task, they are less likely to pursue a task of equal difficulty in the future to avoid seeming unintelligent to others. On the other hand, students with a growth mindset believe that their

For example, we have discussed how the best type of science curriculum integrates real-life experience with procedural knowledge. However, it seems as though these types of experiences are not equally available to all students. While, ideally, students should be able to interact with the nature in their area and participate in activities like Dr. Fretz’s water testing assignment, it may be too dangerous for children in crime-ridden neighborhoods to go outside and explore. This could severely limit the opportunities that students in certain neighborhoods may have, which may lead to an overall lower academic achievement than their more privileged counterparts. Additionally, these disparities may put an extra strain on teachers to develop more creative lesson plans in response to fewer resources and an increased need to motivate students to stay in school instead of joining gangs or drug dealing. This could be a difficult task for teachers who are less experienced or under-motivated due to low wages or salary

For example, I have found that the lectures on motivation have influenced my approach to my position as the General Member Chair of Active Minds, a student organization on campus. Using material from this class, I have addressed our issue of low attendance by changing the format of our weekly meetings in an effort to increase the intrinsic motivation of our members. In our original format, the Chair would choose the topics for each weekly meetings. However, I now choose three topics for members to vote on, allowing them to have a say in what we will discuss that week. I believe that this has given them a sense of autonomy and has ensured that the topics we discuss are personally relevant or interesting to most