Psychology professor discusses 'growth' versus 'fixed' mindsets

In a conversation with Stanford Report writer Lisa Trei, psychologist Carol Dweck says people’s self-theories about intelligence have a profound influence on their motivation to learn. Those who hold a “fixed” theory are mainly concerned with how smart they are—they prefer tasks they can already do well and avoid ones on which they may make mistakes and not look smart. In contrast, she says, people who believe in a "growth" theory of intelligence want to challenge themselves to increase their abilities, even if they fail at first.