how they could be helped. Common sense tells us to give them easy problems in order to increase their success rate so that their confidence goes up. Only later should we give them difficult problems which they will be able to solve because of their new-found confidence. Dweck’s study tested this.
She took two groups of students who were trained for days in solving math problems. The first group was given easy problems which they were always able to solve. The second group had a mix of easy and difficult problems. Obviously, in case of difficult problems, they failed.
Whenever this happened Dweck told them that their failure was because they had not tried hard enough and persuaded them not to give up and keep trying. After the training period was over, a new set of math problems were given to the two groups. What Dweck found goes against common belief. Those who had always succeeded because they were given easy problems, gave up much faster when they faced failure than those who had experience of both success and failure and were taught to attribute failure to their lack of effort.
There are many other common sense notions which you may not find to be true. Not too long ago it was believed in some cultures that men are more intelligent than women or women cause more accidents than men. Empirical studies have shown that both of these are untrue. Common sense also tells us that one is not able to give one’s best if you are asked to perform before a large audience.
Psychological studies have shown that if you have practiced well, you may actually perform better because the presence of others helps your performance. It is hoped that as you go through this textbook you will discover that many of your beliefs and understanding of human behaviour will change. You will also gather that psychologists are different from astrologers, tantriks and palm readers because they systematically examine propositions based on data to develop principles about human behaviour and other psychological phenomena. Ask a cross-section of students