Audience
Researchers
Keywords
socioeconomic status, mindset, achievement growth mindset
Authors
Destin, M., Hanselman, P.,
Tipton,E., & Yeager, D.S.
Date
2019
Abstract
Students from higher–socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds show a persistent advantage in academic outcomes over
lower-SES students. It is possible that students’ beliefs about academic ability, or mindsets, play some role in contributing
to these disparities. Data from a recent nationally representative sample of ninth-grade students in U.S. public schools
provided evidence that higher SES was associated with fewer fixed beliefs about academic ability (a group difference of
.22 standard deviations). Also, there was a negative association between a fixed mindset and grades that was similar
regardless of a student’s SES. Finally, student mindsets were a significant but small factor in explaining the existing relationship
between SES and achievement. Altogether, mindsets appear to be associated with socioeconomic circumstances
and academic achievement; however, the vast majority of the existing socioeconomic achievement gap in the U.S. is likely
driven by the root causes of inequality.