A short mindset reading didn't raise motivation but lowered imagined wishes to drop out

The study

1. 01

   Who took part

   210 students at one college in the southeastern US were counted, out of 272 who signed up. About 8 in 10 were women, and they were about 20 on average.

2. 02

   What they did

   In one online session of 5 to 10 minutes, students read about one of three mindsets. These were that skills can grow, that stress can be useful, or both. They read tips and a story about a student who used the mindset. Then they wrote 100 words on how they would use it. The other group did the same with a text about parts of the brain.

3. 03

   What happened

   Drive to do coursework rose a little in every group, so the mindset readings made no difference. Students were asked to imagine they failed their first task. Those who read about useful stress, alone or with growing skills, wanted to drop out less than the brain group. These were made-up choices, checked once, right after the session. The paper's summary claims more than its results show.

What the study found

1. No difference

   Reading about useful stress or growing skills did not boost drive to study more than reading about the brain.

   • Action: Challenge unhelpful thoughtstested

   Randomised trial of 210 students at a US college · vs students who read about the brain instead · they rated themselves · ⚠ only counted people who finished; summary claims more than the results show

2. Helped

   After imagining a failed task, students who read that stress is useful wanted to quit less than the brain group.

   • Action: Challenge unhelpful thoughtstested

   Randomised trial of 210 students at a US college · vs students who read about the brain instead · they rated themselves · ⚠ only counted people who finished; summary claims more than the results show

Source