Growth Mindset

Creative Mindsets aims to build a growth mindset; the belief that ability can be developed through effort and by embracing challenge.

This belief is underpinned by one of the world’s leading researchers in the fields of motivation and mindsets at Stanford University, psychologist Professor Carol Dweck. Her research demonstrates that implicit theories of intelligence can influence success, performance, resilience, effort and academic attainment.

Entity theory is the belief that human attributes are fixed, they can’t be changed. Like eye colour – this position may reinforce notions of innate intelligence or ‘being born with it’. On the other hand, incremental theory is the belief that human attributes are malleable and can be developed with practice and effort. Dweck refers to these theories as a fixed mindset and a growth mindset.

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Fixed mindsets

  • Learning is focused on performance and ʼlooking cleverʼ
  • Mistakes are embarrassing and a sign of low ability (avoidant behaviour)
  • Challenges are risks and can lead to feelings of failure
  • Effort is a sign of low ability – tendency to disengage

Growth mindsets

  • Learning is focused on improvement and interest
  • Mistakes are part of the learning process and provide information to grow
  • Challenges are welcome and offer a sense of achievement
  • Effort is a necessary part of the process of learning to develop strategy

A fixed mindset, or entity theorists, are more likely to set goals that they can achieve as the main motivation is to outperform others – like achieving a higher grade for example.  Failure, risk and challenge tend to be avoided as effort is perceived as demonstrating a lack of ability. This can result in task avoidance, blame or ‘helplessness’. It can be when we say to ourselves (or others) , ‘I’ve never been any good at …..’ or ‘I’m not going to try this because I know I can’t do it‘. Those with a growth mindset, or incremental theorists, are more likely to learn from trying out different or difficult tasks and see success as a process in which challenge is embraced. Dweck explains in her research that a growth mindset encourages a mastery-orientated approach and when failure is an inevitable component of the journey, effort can be increased (Dweck, 2000; 2007).

In her TED talk, Dweck introduces the power of ‘Yet’…


Professor Carol Dweck introduces how to practically develop a ‘growth mindset’ — the idea that we can grow our (and our students) capacity to learn and to solve problems – through our use of growth mindset language.

It is important to highlight that systemic and structural barriers, such as racism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny and ableism can’t be overcome on an individual level alone. Below are a series of short interviews with UAL Alumni, E Okobi; UAL Educational developer Vikki Hill and UAL Visiting Professor in Race and Education, Dr Gurnam Singh who reflect on the relationship between mindsets and creative practice, structural inequality and anti-racism.

E Okobi: The Power of Growth Mindset

E Okobi, Alumni, MSc Applied Psychology in Fashion at the London College of Fashion, UAL

Navigating with the birds: Intelligence

Vikki Hill with Dr Gurnam Singh

E Okobi: Agency and change

E Okobi, Alumni, MSc Applied Psychology in Fashion at the London College of Fashion, UAL


Navigating with the birds: Risk

Vikki Hill with Dr Gurnam Singh

E Okobi: Growth Mindset and Improvisation

E Okobi, Alumni, MSc Applied Psychology in Fashion at the London College of Fashion, UAL

Vikki Hill: Intelligence and Talent

Vikki Hill, Educational Developer: Attainment, UAL

Further reading and resources:

The Choice to Make a Difference by Carol S. Dweck (2019)
This article charts the development of Dweck’s research on mindsets and is a good starting point for further research into implicit theories, beliefs, motivation and personality.

Mindset – Updated Edition: Changing The Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential (Paperback) by Carol S. Dweck (2017)

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Video Book Review for Mindset by Carol Dweck

Racial disparities in student outcomes in British higher education: examining Mindsets and bias, by Dr Arif Mahmud and DrJessica Gagnon (2020)
An excellent overview of the Changing Mindsets project, racial inequities in higher education and the potential of using growth Mindsets as an anti-racist tool to address these.

The Mindset Kit
A free set of online lessons and practices designed to help educators teach and support adaptive beliefs about learning.

Mindset Works
A site full of resources and data on all things Mindsets

UAL Students and Staff – Creative Mindsets Online Resource developed with UAL Academic Support

  • find out more about fixed/growth mindsets (implicit theories of intelligence)
  • think critically about talent and intelligence
  • consider how UAL students have developed growth mindsets
  • explore how a growth mindset can help you to overcome creative barriers
  • share your own thoughts and experiences of creative practice with other students
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