Believing you can improve is reasonable, but the research on teaching a growth mindset shows smaller effects than its popularity suggests. Two large meta-analyses in 2018 found weak overall effects on school achievement. This piece is part of our guide to habits and learning.
What is a growth mindset?
The belief that abilities such as intelligence or skill can be developed through effort, good strategies and help, rather than being fixed. Mindset interventions try to teach that belief, often in short school sessions.
What does the research show?
A pair of 2018 meta-analyses in Psychological Science looked at whether mindsets relate to achievement and whether interventions improve it. The second covered 43 studies with 57,155 participants. The authors concluded: "Overall effects were weak for both meta-analyses."
They also found some support for the idea, suggesting that "students with low socioeconomic status or who are academically at risk might benefit from mind-set interventions."
| Question | What the 2018 analyses found |
|---|---|
| Does mindset predict achievement? | Weakly |
| Do mindset interventions raise achievement overall? | Weak effects |
| Who might benefit more? | Students with low socioeconomic status or at academic risk |
So is a growth mindset worth having?
As an outlook, it costs nothing and fits the evidence that skills do improve with good practice. But belief alone does little. What moves results is what you actually practise and how: self-testing and spaced practice, a regular routine, and help when you are stuck. The if-then habit planner turns the intention into a plan.
