Dweck

Dweck is a surname most commonly associated with Carol S. Dweck, an American psychologist and professor at Stanford University. Her work has been influential in the fields of motivation, learning, and social psychology.

Dweck's research centers on how beliefs about the malleability of abilities influence how people think, learn, and respond to challenges. She distinguishes between fixed mindsets, which view intelligence and talents as fixed traits, and growth mindsets, which see them as improvable through effort and strategy. This framework has been applied to education, parenting, sports, and business.

In a series of experiments, Dweck and collaborators showed that feedback emphasizing effort and process tended to promote persistence and resilience, while praise focused on innate ability could lead to avoidance of difficult tasks and decreased motivation. These findings contributed to the broader idea that mindset influences learning trajectories and achievement.

Dweck's 2006 book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success popularized the growth mindset concept and explored practical implications for classrooms, workplaces, and personal development. Since then, the concept has become widespread in education and organizational contexts, though it has also faced scrutiny regarding replicability and the strength of its effects across settings. Contemporary research emphasizes nuanced interpretations, including the interaction of mindset with context, feedback quality, and instructional design.

Dweck's work continues to shape theories of self-beliefs and motivation, and she remains a prominent figure in psychology for contributions to understanding how beliefs about ability affect learning and performance. See also: Growth mindset; Mindset.