preview

The Relationship Between Intelligence And Its Effect On An Individual 's Education

Good Essays

Traditionally, intelligence has been identified as a characteristic that is genetically determined. Those who subscribe to this notion are considered to have fixed mindsets and operate under the belief that their intelligence cannot be enhanced or weakened through the process of nurturing and other external factors. The traditional view of intelligence emphasizes a deterministic philosophical method of reasoning and does not account for the influence that a growth mindset can have on an individual’s intelligence. As a result, there has been a shift in the research that is being done in the area of intelligence in order to support the idea that intelligence is not exclusively genetic and it is not fixed. In order to understand the significance of this research in relation to intelligence, it is important to distinguish why having a growth mindset is preferable, in regards to the nurturing of intelligence, over having a fixed mindset. Understanding the effects of the two mindsets on an individual’s education helps us to discern why fostering a growth mindset promotes intelligence and greater success in learning in comparison to a fixed mindset and the traditional view of intelligence. A growth mindset is described by Carol Dweck as a mindset where an individual believes that through effort, effective teaching and practice, they can enhance their abilities, talents, and intelligence (Dweck, 2006). Embracing a growth mindset would, therefore, involve the belief that

Get Access