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2 posts found
Apr 08, 2015
ssc
39 min 5,344 words 269 comments
Scott Alexander critically examines the concept of growth mindset, expressing skepticism despite compelling studies and discussing various issues with the theory and its interpretation. Longer summary
Scott Alexander examines the concept of growth mindset, expressing skepticism despite compelling studies. He discusses the history of growth mindset research, points out inconsistencies in longitudinal data, and questions the interpretation of experimental results. Scott also criticizes how some proponents use growth mindset to deny the importance of innate ability. While acknowledging the potential benefits of growth mindset, he remains uncertain about its real-world effects and long-term impact. Shorter summary
Mar 12, 2015
ssc
16 min 2,131 words 152 comments
Scott Alexander reviews 'Willpower' by Baumeister and Tierney, finding it disappointing for its pop science approach and failure to address controversies in willpower research. Longer summary
Scott Alexander reviews the book 'Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength' by Roy Baumeister and John Tierney. He expresses disappointment with the book's pop science approach and lack of in-depth exploration of the controversies surrounding willpower research. The review outlines key points from the book, discusses ongoing debates in the field, and presents Scott's own thoughts on how willpower might work. He critiques the book for not addressing important controversies and research challenges in the field of willpower studies. Shorter summary