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.

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’…

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.

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