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2.3 • It's All in the Mindset

outcomes. Whenever you are not feeling up to a challenge or when negative bias is starting to wear on
you, you can look over your journal to remind yourself of previous accomplishments in the face of
adversity.

ANALYSIS QUESTION
Building the Foundation
In this section you read about three major factors that contribute to your motivation as a learner: grit and
perseverance, your own motivations for learning (UGT), and the pitfalls of negative bias. Now it is time to do
a little self-analysis and reflection.
Which of these three areas do you feel strongest in? Are you a person that naturally has grit, or do you
better understand your own motivations for learning (using UGT)? Do you struggle with negativity bias, or
is it something that you rarely have to deal with?
Determine in which of these areas you are strongest, and think about what things make you so strong. Is it
a positive attitude (you always see the glass as half full as opposed to half empty), or do you know exactly
why you are in college and exactly what you expect to learn?
After you have analyzed your strongest area, then do the same for the two weaker ones. What makes you
susceptible to challenges in these areas? Do you have a difficult time sticking with things or possibly focus
too much on the negative? Look back at the sections on your two weakest areas, and put together a plan
for overcoming them. For each one, choose a behavior you intend to change and think of some way you will
change it.

2.3 It's All in the Mindset
Estimated completion time: 14 minutes.
Questions to consider:
• What is a growth mindset, and how does it affect my learning?
• What are performance goals versus learning goals?
In the previous sections of this chapter you have focused on a number of concepts and models about learning.
One of the things they all have in common is that they utilize different approaches to education by presenting
new ways to think about learning. In each of these, the common element has been a better understanding of
yourself as a learner and how to apply what you know about yourself to your own learning experience. If you
were to distill all that you have learned in this chapter so far down to a single factor, it would be about using
your mindset to your best advantage. In this next section, you will examine how all of this works in a broader
sense by learning about the significance of certain mindsets and how they can hinder or promote your own
learning efforts.

45

46

2 • The Truth About Learning Styles

Figure 2.7 Many fields of study and work create intersections of growth and fixed mindset. People may feel great ability to grow and
learn in some areas, like art and communication, but feel more limited in others, such as planning and financials. Recognizing these
intersections will help you approach new topics and tasks. (Credit: mentatdgt / Pexels)

Performance vs. Learning Goals
As you have discovered in this chapter, much of our ability to learn is governed by our motivations and goals.
What has not yet been covered in detail has been how sometimes hidden goals or mindsets can impact the
learning process. In truth, we all have goals that we might not be fully aware of, or if we are aware of them, we
might not understand how they help or restrict our ability to learn. An illustration of this can be seen in a
comparison of a student that has performance-based goals with a student that has learning-based goals.
If you are a student with strict performance goals, your primary psychological concern might be to appear
intelligent to others. At first, this might not seem to be a bad thing for college, but it can truly limit your ability
to move forward in your own learning. Instead, you would tend to play it safe without even realizing it. For
example, a student who is strictly performance-goal-oriented will often only says things in a classroom
discussion when they think it will make them look knowledgeable to the instructor or their classmates. For
example, a performance-oriented student might ask a question that she knows is beyond the topic being
covered (e.g., asking about the economics of Japanese whaling while discussing the book Moby Dick in an
American literature course). Rarely will they ask a question in class because they actually do not understand a
concept. Instead they will ask questions that make them look intelligent to others or in an effort to “stump the
teacher.” When they do finally ask an honest question, it may be because they are more afraid that their lack of
understanding will result in a poor performance on an exam rather than simply wanting to learn.
If you are a student who is driven by learning goals, your interactions in classroom discussions are usually
quite different. You see the opportunity to share ideas and ask questions as a way to gain knowledge quickly.
In a classroom discussion you can ask for clarification immediately if you don’t quite understand what is being
discussed. If you are a person guided by learning goals, you are less worried about what others think since you
are there to learn and you see that as the most important goal.
Another example where the difference between the two mindsets is clear can be found in assignments and
other coursework. If you are a student who is more concerned about performance, you may avoid work that is
challenging. You will take the “easy A” route by relying on what you already know. You will not step out of your
comfort zone because your psychological goals are based on approval of your performance instead of being
motivated by learning.
This is very different from a student with a learning-based psychology. If you are a student who is motivated by
learning goals, you may actively seek challenging assignments, and you will put a great deal of effort into
using the assignment to expand on what you already know. While getting a good grade is important to you,

Access for free at openstax.org

2.3 • It's All in the Mindset

what is even more important is the learning itself.
If you find that you sometimes lean toward performance-based goals, do not feel discouraged. Many of the
best students tend to initially focus on performance until they begin to see the ways it can restrict their
learning. The key to switching to learning-based goals is often simply a matter of first recognizing the
difference and seeing how making a change can positively impact your own learning.
What follows in this section is a more in-depth look at the difference between performance- and learningbased goals. This is followed by an exercise that will give you the opportunity to identify, analyze, and
determine a positive course of action in a situation where you believe you could improve in this area.

WHAT STUDENTS SAY
1. In the past, did you feel like you had control over your own learning?
a. No. Someone has always dictated how and what I learned.
b. Yes. I always look for ways to take control of what and how I learned.
c. I am uncertain. I never thought about it before.
2. Have you ever heard of learning styles or do you know your own learning style?
a. No. I have never heard of learning styles.

Access for free at openstax.org

2.3 • It's All in the Mindset

outcomes. Whenever you are not feeling up to a challenge or when negative bias is starting to wear on

you, you can look over your journal to remind yourself of previous accomplishments in the face of

adversity.

ANALYSIS QUESTION

Building the Foundation

In this section you read about three major factors that contribute to your motivation as a learner: grit and

perseverance, your own motivations for learning (UGT), and the pitfalls of negative bias. Now it is time to do

a little self-analysis and reflection.

Which of these three areas do you feel strongest in? Are you a person that naturally has grit, or do you

better understand your own motivations for learning (using UGT)? Do you struggle with negativity bias, or

is it something that you rarely have to deal with?

Determine in which of these areas you are strongest, and think about what things make you so strong. Is it

a positive attitude (you always see the glass as half full as opposed to half empty), or do you know exactly

why you are in college and exactly what you expect to learn?

After you have analyzed your strongest area, then do the same for the two weaker ones. What makes you

susceptible to challenges in these areas? Do you have a difficult time sticking with things or possibly focus

too much on the negative? Look back at the sections on your two weakest areas, and put together a plan

for overcoming them. For each one, choose a behavior you intend to change and think of some way you will

change it.

2.3 It's All in the Mindset

Estimated completion time: 14 minutes.

Questions to consider:

• What is a growth mindset, and how does it affect my learning?

• What are performance goals versus learning goals?

In the previous sections of this chapter you have focused on a number of concepts and models about learning.

One of the things they all have in common is that they utilize different approaches to education by presenting

new ways to think about learning. In each of these, the common element has been a better understanding of

yourself as a learner and how to apply what you know about yourself to your own learning experience. If you

were to distill all that you have learned in this chapter so far down to a single factor, it would be about using

your mindset to your best advantage. In this next section, you will examine how all of this works in a broader

sense by learning about the significance of certain mindsets and how they can hinder or promote your own

learning efforts.

45

46

2 • The Truth About Learning Styles

Figure 2.7 Many fields of study and work create intersections of growth and fixed mindset. People may feel great ability to grow and

learn in some areas, like art and communication, but feel more limited in others, such as planning and financials. Recognizing these

intersections will help you approach new topics and tasks. (Credit: mentatdgt / Pexels)

Performance vs. Learning Goals

As you have discovered in this chapter, much of our ability to learn is governed by our motivations and goals.

What has not yet been covered in detail has been how sometimes hidden goals or mindsets can impact the

learning process. In truth, we all have goals that we might not be fully aware of, or if we are aware of them, we

might not understand how they help or restrict our ability to learn. An illustration of this can be seen in a

comparison of a student that has performance-based goals with a student that has learning-based goals.

If you are a student with strict performance goals, your primary psychological concern might be to appear

intelligent to others. At first, this might not seem to be a bad thing for college, but it can truly limit your ability

to move forward in your own learning. Instead, you would tend to play it safe without even realizing it. For

example, a student who is strictly performance-goal-oriented will often only says things in a classroom

discussion when they think it will make them look knowledgeable to the instructor or their classmates. For

example, a performance-oriented student might ask a question that she knows is beyond the topic being

covered (e.g., asking about the economics of Japanese whaling while discussing the book Moby Dick in an

American literature course). Rarely will they ask a question in class because they actually do not understand a

concept. Instead they will ask questions that make them look intelligent to others or in an effort to “stump the

teacher.” When they do finally ask an honest question, it may be because they are more afraid that their lack of

understanding will result in a poor performance on an exam rather than simply wanting to learn.

If you are a student who is driven by learning goals, your interactions in classroom discussions are usually

quite different. You see the opportunity to share ideas and ask questions as a way to gain knowledge quickly.

In a classroom discussion you can ask for clarification immediately if you don’t quite understand what is being

discussed. If you are a person guided by learning goals, you are less worried about what others think since you

are there to learn and you see that as the most important goal.

Another example where the difference between the two mindsets is clear can be found in assignments and

other coursework. If you are a student who is more concerned about performance, you may avoid work that is

challenging. You will take the “easy A” route by relying on what you already know. You will not step out of your

comfort zone because your psychological goals are based on approval of your performance instead of being

motivated by learning.

This is very different from a student with a learning-based psychology. If you are a student who is motivated by

learning goals, you may actively seek challenging assignments, and you will put a great deal of effort into

using the assignment to expand on what you already know. While getting a good grade is important to you,

Access for free at openstax.org

2.3 • It's All in the Mindset

what is even more important is the learning itself.

If you find that you sometimes lean toward performance-based goals, do not feel discouraged. Many of the

best students tend to initially focus on performance until they begin to see the ways it can restrict their

learning. The key to switching to learning-based goals is often simply a matter of first recognizing the

difference and seeing how making a change can positively impact your own learning.

What follows in this section is a more in-depth look at the difference between performance- and learningbased goals. This is followed by an exercise that will give you the opportunity to identify, analyze, and

determine a positive course of action in a situation where you believe you could improve in this area.

WHAT STUDENTS SAY

1. In the past, did you feel like you had control over your own learning?

a. No. Someone has always dictated how and what I learned.

b. Yes. I always look for ways to take control of what and how I learned.

c. I am uncertain. I never thought about it before.

2. Have you ever heard of learning styles or do you know your own learning style?

a. No. I have never heard of learning styles.