Could belief in learning give employees an edge?
According to Dweck's model (see Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Dweck, 1999) individuals hold different "theories" about the nature of intelligence: Some believe intelligence is a fixed trait, innate and unchangeable over time (they hold an entity theory of intelligence); others believe that intelligence has a malleable quality and that it can be developed (they hold an incremental theory of intelligence).
Their research has indicated that students holding an entity theory of intelligence are quick to give up or withdraw on the face of adversity; whereas those holding an incremental theory of intelligence persevere and improve.
Against this background, Blackwell, Trzeniewski, and Dweck (2007) ran a study to validate whether teaching students how the brain learns would affect their theory of intelligence and ultimately improve their performance.
Within a group of maths students, randomly selected children where taught about learning: They were shown research findings about how learning positively affects the brain (improving later learning and "making you smarter"). Other students were presented with information on how memory works.
The results were unequivocal: Children who were taught about learning improved their maths grades; the other children did not. The largest improvement was delivered by those children who initially believed intelligence was a fixed trait but that then came to believe it was malleable and subject to development.
In other words: (1) our belief in learning can be affected, and (2) this can positively affect our performance.
Modern society seems to hold dear the notion of unique and innate qualities, also throughout adulthood. Quoting Bjork, Dunlosky, and Kornell (2013):
Teaching employees about the malleability of the brain, about how new learning builds on old learning and how growth can occur should - if anything - help them build belief in their potential. Maybe a short explanation at the end of a training programme would suffice; it might just quietly ignite an unconcious transformation.
You may be able to judge for yourself: you have just read about it.
(References: http://talentbites.blogspot.ch/2013/02/belief-in-learning-ref.html)
According to Dweck's model (see Dweck & Leggett, 1988; Dweck, 1999) individuals hold different "theories" about the nature of intelligence: Some believe intelligence is a fixed trait, innate and unchangeable over time (they hold an entity theory of intelligence); others believe that intelligence has a malleable quality and that it can be developed (they hold an incremental theory of intelligence).
Their research has indicated that students holding an entity theory of intelligence are quick to give up or withdraw on the face of adversity; whereas those holding an incremental theory of intelligence persevere and improve.
Against this background, Blackwell, Trzeniewski, and Dweck (2007) ran a study to validate whether teaching students how the brain learns would affect their theory of intelligence and ultimately improve their performance.
Grasping the solution
Within a group of maths students, randomly selected children where taught about learning: They were shown research findings about how learning positively affects the brain (improving later learning and "making you smarter"). Other students were presented with information on how memory works.
The results were unequivocal: Children who were taught about learning improved their maths grades; the other children did not. The largest improvement was delivered by those children who initially believed intelligence was a fixed trait but that then came to believe it was malleable and subject to development.
In other words: (1) our belief in learning can be affected, and (2) this can positively affect our performance.
Modern society seems to hold dear the notion of unique and innate qualities, also throughout adulthood. Quoting Bjork, Dunlosky, and Kornell (2013):
There is, in our view, an overappreciation in our society of the role played by innate differences among individuals in determining what can be learned and how much can be learned, and that overappreciation is coupled with an underappreciation of the power of training, practice and experience.
Learn before you learn
Teaching employees about the malleability of the brain, about how new learning builds on old learning and how growth can occur should - if anything - help them build belief in their potential. Maybe a short explanation at the end of a training programme would suffice; it might just quietly ignite an unconcious transformation.
You may be able to judge for yourself: you have just read about it.
(References: http://talentbites.blogspot.ch/2013/02/belief-in-learning-ref.html)
