Jessica Schleider and John Weisz from Harvard University again showed in 2018 that a single mindset intervention can significantly reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression in teenagers aged 12 to 15 years. The participants in the study received general information about how the brain works and were introduced to the concept of neuroplasticity – the ability of the brain to constantly form new neural connections. They also learned that qualities such as shyness, fearfulness or sadness are the result of thoughts and feelings and are therefore changeable. Finally, they looked at examples of how a dynamic self-image can be implemented in daily life.
Even after this one session, the participants were more likely to believe that they could actively influence the circumstances. For example, they were more likely to agree with statements such as “I can make friends if I really try”. They also felt they were better equipped to deal with negative experiences (“When something bad happens, I can take a perspective that will help me deal with it”).
What promotes personal development
According to Yeager and Dweck, the behavior of teachers, among other things, has a major influence on the mental attitude young people display. Encouraging students to take on challenges, arouse their willingness to cooperate and create a climate of trust in the class – by emphasizing that there are no “stupid” questions and by reminding them that mistakes are part of the learning process Part of it: all of these are proven teaching methods that promote the development of a dynamic mindset. Ultimately, the environment must support the conversion to new beliefs and the associated behavior, emphasizes Carol Dweck.
Such measures can hardly start early enough. Because children decide at an early age which beliefs they will follow: “I’m not good at this” or “I will practice to improve myself”. Here, too, parents and educators play an important role. For example, if a child thinks they are not gifted, they can help them debunk this belief and stimulate them to reflect on their failure: “Could you have used a different strategy?” It is equally important to calm children down : »It is normal that you have not internalized everything yet, because the topic is still completely new to you. Sometimes it takes a while to understand that. “
Appreciate the effort more than the result
In 1998, Carol Dweck and her colleague Claudia Mueller identified another powerful tool for influencing children’s mindsets: the way they are praised. Because not every praise is suitable to permanently promote motivation. In an experiment, the two researchers had children solve a task. Afterwards, some of the young participants were praised by the scientists for their efforts (“You had to work hard”), while the others received praise for their qualities (“You are smart”). In a second step, the researchers presented the same children with a more difficult test that many of them failed, and observed the participants’ reactions.
Those who had been praised for their intelligence were now questioning their competence: in their imagination, they had passed the first test only thanks to their intelligence; consequently, they interpreted their failure in the second test as evidence of their incompetence. The situation was different with the children, who had previously been praised for their efforts: They now showed significantly more stamina, had more fun with the exercises and achieved better results than the test subjects in the first group. They did not question their abilities or their potential, but only saw their scores as an indicator of their current learning status.