The Inverse Power of Praise
Muslim Mom discusses why positive reinforcement in children requires careful wording and an encouraging demeanour for it to be effective:
A group of studies found that students who are praised for being intelligent tend to quit whenever things get tough, whereas students who are praised for their effort become more persistent when faced with difficult challenges.
At first it seems like a small difference, to say “You really worked hard at this!” vs. “You’re so smart!” but the effects of praising a child’s intelligence and pegging him as a “smart kid” actually holds him back from acheiving his true potential.
Leave a Reply