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In this experiment, White and Black students were
assigned to one of three conditions to assess the impact
of an intervention designed to reduce stereotype threat. In two conditions, students were asked to write a letter
of encouragement to a younger student who was
experiencing academic struggles. In one of these
conditions, students were prompted to endorse a view of
intelligence as malleable, "like a muscle" that can grow
with work and effort. In the second condition,
students endorsed the view that there exists different
types of intelligence. The third condition served
as a control condition in which students were not asked
to compose a letter. Several days after the
intervention, all students were asked to indicate their
identification with and enjoyment of academics. Results showed that
Black students in particular were
more likely to report enjoying and valuing
education if they had written a letter endorsing
malleable intelligence. In addition, grades
collected 9 weeks following the intervention were
significantly higher for Blacks in the malleable
intelligence condition. Whites showed a similar,
though statistically marginal, effect. This study
showed that encouraging students to see intelligence as
malleable (i.e., embrace an incremental theory of
intelligence) can raise enjoyment and performance in
academic contexts.
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