Logan Guntzelman April 21, 2009 English 103 (Honors) Mr. Yablon Outline and Explanation for Chapter 2 of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
Jus as a recap, let’s differentiate between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
Fixed: your qualities are carved in stone.
Growth: your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through effort.
In chapter two, Carol S. Dweck gives different examples of the situations in which fixed and growth mindsets effect the end result. This is a summary of the main points she makes in the chapter.
• How Students Define Success o Dr. Dweck gave students a series of puzzles that were progressively harder, in order to see how they would respond to the challenge. o Those that had a fixed mindset would redo easy puzzles when given the option, but would not try the harder ones. o Those that had growth mindsets would try the harder ones, in order to learn. o So what does it mean? • The author uses the quote, “I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and the failures. I divide it into learners and nonlearners.” – Benjamin Barber • Students who want to learn, who have a growth mindset, succeed. Students who do not want to learn but want to be the best at something that is no longer a challenge, those with a fixed mindset, do not. • Why Do Fixed-Mindset Students Always Stick With the Easier Task? o Dweck says that those with fixed mindsets need to be perfect because every challenge is an affront to their intelligence – each success proves their innate abilities, and each failure shows what abilities they lack. o In a study of Columbia student’s brain waves when taking a challenging test and receiving feedback, a pattern could be seen that proves the above statement. • Those with fixed mindsets did not show brain waves when receiving feedback on problems they had done wrong. For them, the test was the end-all be-all. There was no way to improve or correct their mistakes. • Those with growth mindsets focused on their feedback very much, because they wanted to learn what they had done wrong and increase their understanding of the subject they had been tested on. • So we see the fixed and growth mindset in students – what effect do they have in the real world? o Those who have the fixed mindset desire perfection – a job with a ton of money, a perfect spouse, and to be seen as the best. This idea of being seen as, and striving for, perfection is known as “CEO Disease”. • When the desire to be perfect overrides the desire to learn and evolve, one can become stuck in a rut. • Dwek used the examples of Japanese car companies versus Chrysler. • Chrysler’s owner did not stray out of his comfort zone after an initial period of incredible success → the similar car models he released year after year lost him clients and notoriety. • Japanese car companies are constantly trying to improve their cars → they are now more popular than ever • Sometimes, the growth mindsets value of meeting challenges as opposed to avoiding them can have incredible results. o Dweck uses the example of Christopher Reeve, to show that even the seemingly impossible can be reached when one remains positive and open to challenge. • Christopher Reeve was paralyzed below the neck, but intense therapy with new technologies improved his brain’s ability to send and receive messages to body parts that were assumed dead. • Christopher Reeve DID THE IMPOSSIBLE!!! He was told anything below his neck would never receive messages from his brain ever again. But with a growth mindset, they did. • Those with fixed mindsets believe “a test is forever”. Why? o Those with a fixed mindset saw no real need for learning, as they believed all their smarts were innate and couldn’t be improved. o Instead, each new academic subject or learning experience was merely a test to show their already-present abilities. o If a test proved they did not have the abilities needed to pass (they received a bad grade) then that test would always be proof that they were inadequate in that subject area. • What does “being smart” mean for people with fixed mindsets? o Fixed mindset people feel smart when they are perfect, and others envy them. o The ultimate test to proving how great their abilities are is to see how others see them. If they are seen as smart and excel at something others find difficult, then they see themselves as smart. o They equate being better than others as being smart, or special. • The danger zone: when being special = being superior to others. o This is what a larger portion of the second chapter is about, as it is a big problem for those with fixed mindsets. o John McEnroe, a famous tennis player, is used an example. He believed his innate ability was everything and separated him from the rest. • With this mindset, if you are innately separate and special, and if that innate special-ness and separate-ness brings you success, it makes sense that McEnroe believe he had been better and different from birth. • How Mindsets change the meaning of failure o Failure used to be an action – the author uses the example “I failed”. Now it is common to hear “I am a failure”. o “I am a failure” = “I was born without the ability to succeed” = a fixed mindset idea o Those with a growth mindset use failure as yet another learning experience – a way to better themselves and not let the same mistakes that led to failure happen again. • How those with fixed and growth mindsets deal with depression o Dweck is fascinated by depression because she is a phsychologist. She had different students keep diaries during the winter months (the time that depression is most common). o She found that those with fixed mindsets, who were stuck on their failures and things that upset them, were more likely to be depressed and to stop their normal routines. o Those with growth mindsets became more determined the worse they felt, and worked hard all throughout the winter season.. • Mindsets and Effort o The tortoise and the hare sets up the basic problem between fixed and growth mindsets. • The hare has innate speed, god-given talent. The tortoise wins because of strategy. Most people would rather have the talent. This desire for the hare’s talent is the desire for effortless perfection that those with fixed mindsets seek. • Dweck tries to show the reader through various examples including the little Engine that Could, and Seabiscuit, that those who struggle through adversity and triumph, those who were not innately gifted, could be prosperous. And should be admired. • Taking Risks o Those who have growth mindsets will always take risks that could result in attaining something they want really badly. The “I could have been…” feeling is too painful. o Those with fixed mindsets do not often take risks, because they worry that they could fail, and could be defined by that failure.
Ms. Guntzelman definately read the chapter. In fact, her post may be longer than the chapter. Nicely done! She clearly defined the fundamental difference between the fixed mindset, versus the growth mindset. Which made me realize how important trying to adopt the growth mindset is in our own educational journey. Specifically, for me, taking math classes for the first time in many years, which I have dreaded the thought of. Now I realize, instead of fighting it, like I did in high school, I need to open my mind and let it in. The world would be a much better place if more people adopted the growth mindset.
Mindset 1-I think that fixed mind set people, always seem to beat themselves up. And the sad thing is that those around them do a good job, adding to this. It is never ending. It is the hope that at some point a person may see this as unhealthy, and see a way to correct this frame of mind
Logan Guntzelman
ReplyDeleteApril 21, 2009
English 103 (Honors)
Mr. Yablon
Outline and Explanation for Chapter 2 of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
by Carol S. Dweck
Jus as a recap, let’s differentiate between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.
Fixed: your qualities are carved in stone.
Growth: your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through effort.
In chapter two, Carol S. Dweck gives different examples of the situations in which fixed and growth mindsets effect the end result. This is a summary of the main points she makes in the chapter.
• How Students Define Success
o Dr. Dweck gave students a series of puzzles that were progressively harder, in order to see how they would respond to the challenge.
o Those that had a fixed mindset would redo easy puzzles when given the option, but would not try the harder ones.
o Those that had growth mindsets would try the harder ones, in order to learn.
o So what does it mean?
• The author uses the quote, “I don’t divide the world into the weak and the strong, or the successes and the failures. I divide it into learners and nonlearners.” – Benjamin Barber
• Students who want to learn, who have a growth mindset, succeed. Students who do not want to learn but want to be the best at something that is no longer a challenge, those with a fixed mindset, do not.
• Why Do Fixed-Mindset Students Always Stick With the Easier Task?
o Dweck says that those with fixed mindsets need to be perfect because every challenge is an affront to their intelligence – each success proves their innate abilities, and each failure shows what abilities they lack.
o In a study of Columbia student’s brain waves when taking a challenging test and receiving feedback, a pattern could be seen that proves the above statement.
• Those with fixed mindsets did not show brain waves when receiving feedback on problems they had done wrong. For them, the test was the end-all be-all. There was no way to improve or correct their mistakes.
• Those with growth mindsets focused on their feedback very much, because they wanted to learn what they had done wrong and increase their understanding of the subject they had been tested on.
• So we see the fixed and growth mindset in students – what effect do they have in the real world?
o Those who have the fixed mindset desire perfection – a job with a ton of money, a perfect spouse, and to be seen as the best. This idea of being seen as, and striving for, perfection is known as “CEO Disease”.
• When the desire to be perfect overrides the desire to learn and evolve, one can become stuck in a rut.
• Dwek used the examples of Japanese car companies versus Chrysler.
• Chrysler’s owner did not stray out of his comfort zone after an initial period of incredible success → the similar car models he released year after year lost him clients and notoriety.
• Japanese car companies are constantly trying to improve their cars → they are now more popular than ever
• Sometimes, the growth mindsets value of meeting challenges as opposed to avoiding them can have incredible results.
o Dweck uses the example of Christopher Reeve, to show that even the seemingly impossible can be reached when one remains positive and open to challenge.
• Christopher Reeve was paralyzed below the neck, but intense therapy with new technologies improved his brain’s ability to send and receive messages to body parts that were assumed dead.
• Christopher Reeve DID THE IMPOSSIBLE!!! He was told anything below his neck would never receive messages from his brain ever again. But with a growth mindset, they did.
• Those with fixed mindsets believe “a test is forever”. Why?
o Those with a fixed mindset saw no real need for learning, as they believed all their smarts were innate and couldn’t be improved.
o Instead, each new academic subject or learning experience was merely a test to show their already-present abilities.
o If a test proved they did not have the abilities needed to pass (they received a bad grade) then that test would always be proof that they were inadequate in that subject area.
• What does “being smart” mean for people with fixed mindsets?
o Fixed mindset people feel smart when they are perfect, and others envy them.
o The ultimate test to proving how great their abilities are is to see how others see them. If they are seen as smart and excel at something others find difficult, then they see themselves as smart.
o They equate being better than others as being smart, or special.
• The danger zone: when being special = being superior to others.
o This is what a larger portion of the second chapter is about, as it is a big problem for those with fixed mindsets.
o John McEnroe, a famous tennis player, is used an example. He believed his innate ability was everything and separated him from the rest.
• With this mindset, if you are innately separate and special, and if that innate special-ness and separate-ness brings you success, it makes sense that McEnroe believe he had been better and different from birth.
• How Mindsets change the meaning of failure
o Failure used to be an action – the author uses the example “I failed”. Now it is common to hear “I am a failure”.
o “I am a failure” = “I was born without the ability to succeed” = a fixed mindset idea
o Those with a growth mindset use failure as yet another learning experience – a way to better themselves and not let the same mistakes that led to failure happen again.
• How those with fixed and growth mindsets deal with depression
o Dweck is fascinated by depression because she is a phsychologist. She had different students keep diaries during the winter months (the time that depression is most common).
o She found that those with fixed mindsets, who were stuck on their failures and things that upset them, were more likely to be depressed and to stop their normal routines.
o Those with growth mindsets became more determined the worse they felt, and worked hard all throughout the winter season..
• Mindsets and Effort
o The tortoise and the hare sets up the basic problem between fixed and growth mindsets.
• The hare has innate speed, god-given talent. The tortoise wins because of strategy. Most people would rather have the talent. This desire for the hare’s talent is the desire for effortless perfection that those with fixed mindsets seek.
• Dweck tries to show the reader through various examples including the little Engine that Could, and Seabiscuit, that those who struggle through adversity and triumph, those who were not innately gifted, could be prosperous. And should be admired.
• Taking Risks
o Those who have growth mindsets will always take risks that could result in attaining something they want really badly. The “I could have been…” feeling is too painful.
o Those with fixed mindsets do not often take risks, because they worry that they could fail, and could be defined by that failure.
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ReplyDeleteGood job with giving some key points. Your information was useful.
Ms. Guntzelman definately read the chapter. In fact, her post may be longer than the chapter. Nicely done! She clearly defined the fundamental difference between the fixed mindset, versus the growth mindset. Which made me realize how important trying to adopt the growth mindset is in our own educational journey. Specifically, for me, taking math classes for the first time in many years, which I have dreaded the thought of. Now I realize, instead of fighting it, like I did in high school, I need to open my mind and let it in. The world would be a much better place if more people adopted the growth mindset.
ReplyDeleteMindset 1-I think that fixed mind set people, always seem to beat themselves up. And the sad thing is that those around them do a good job, adding to this. It is never ending. It is the hope that at some point a person may see this as unhealthy, and see a way to correct this frame of mind
ReplyDelete