The Danger of Praise

It probably would never occur to a normal parent that complementing his child could have negative consequences.  But groundbreaking research done at Columbia University's Teacher's College a few years ago (and reported in NEW YORK MAGAZINE) is very disturbing.  Four hundred fifth graders were given a very simple exam (meant for 3rd grade kids).  Every child taking the test did very well and found it easy.  The youngsters were then divided into two groups.  All the kids in the first group were told that they did very well and that THEY MUST BE VERY SMART.  When the kids in the second group were told their results, they were told that THEY MUST BE VERY HARD WORKERS.  

All the kids were then given a difficult test, meant for 7th graders.  While ALL the kids had trouble with the test, it was clear that those in the FIRST group of "smart" kids were emotionally distressed, breaking into a sweat or becoming agitated.  But the "hard workers" in the SECOND group didn't seem to mind the difficult material and seemed interested, engaged in the challenge.

Then a very easy test was given again to end the experiment:  The kids from the "smart" group DID NOT DO AS WELL AS THE FIRST TIME AROUND. The kids from group 2, "the hard workers", did just as well as the first time.  The only difference between the two groups was WHAT WAS SAID TO THEM WHEN THEY FINISHED THE FIRST EASY TEST.  So it is apparent, that BEING TOLD THEY WERE SMART DAMAGED THE SUBSEQUENT PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN. 

Just as important, when children were praised for being HARD WORKERS, they took pleasure in facing a difficult challenge.  In fact, many of this group said the impossible 7th grade test WAS THE FAVORITE PART OF THEIR DAY!

But why was there a dramatic difference in outcome?  It is probably the result of errors in logic that occur in the immature reasoning of young minds.  The child who was told she was smart had just taken a test she found EASY.  The conclusion she came to is that, WHEN A PERSON IS SMART, A LESSON OR A TEST IS EXPERIENCED AS EASY.  But if a person finds a test or lesson DIFFICULT,  she must not be SMART.  So, when the child found the second exam hard,  her distress came from feeling she must NO LONGER BE SMART.  The disasterous outcome is that the child doesn't realize that with CONTINUED EFFORT, difficult material CAN BE MASTERED.

On the other hand, the group praised for HARD WORK, has a sense of reality that links success to EFFORT.  So these kids ARE NOT HOPELESS when they face a challenge.  If the material is more difficult, they continue to believe they CAN SUCCEED if they MAKE A GREATER EFFORT.  The feeling of having CONTROL over their destiny is EMPOWERING.  They are less likely to GIVE UP because their SELF IMAGE  is that of the persistent WORKER.  And they equate the PRIDE and PLEASURE of their success WITH the EFFORT they offer to the task.

One doesn't have to stretch the imagination too far to see the consequences of this ATITUDE toward learning in high school and college.  So TAKE CARE when you praise your little loved ones; when you praise them, let it be for their EFFORT, their ORIGINALITY, their IMAGINATION, their PERSISTENCE, rather than for an intelligence they did nothing to earn.