In classrooms, boardrooms, and athletic fields across the world, people with a “growth mindset” consistently outperform their peers. Now, for the first time, scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have developed a reliable way to measure this crucial trait — and their findings challenge conventional wisdom about who possesses it.
The study, published in New Ideas in Psychology, introduces an eight-question scale that effectively measures growth mindset — the belief that personal abilities can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence. Testing the scale on 723 participants ranging from ages 16 to 85, the researchers found it to be reliable across age groups and more comprehensive than previous measurement tools.
A growth mindset has become an increasingly important concept in psychology, education, and personal development. People with a growth mindset believe their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching, and persistence. In contrast, those with a “fixed mindset” tend to believe their basic qualities, like intelligence or talent, are static traits that can’t be changed significantly.
The research team, led by Professor Hermundur Sigmundsson from NTNU’s Department of Psychology and Professor Monika Haga from the Department of Teacher Education, developed their new scale to measure growth mindset more broadly than existing tools. Their scale asks people to rate how much they agree with statements like “I know that with effort I can improve my skills and knowledge” and “I see learning as my goal.”
These statements assess various aspects of a growth mindset, from belief in the power of effort to openness to challenges and commitment to learning. Beyond its practical applications, the scale showed stronger connections to other important psychological factors like passion and grit compared to previous measurement tools.