When someone does well at something, our first instinct is often to offer words of encouragement, such as “Good job!”, “You’re so clever!”, “You’re amazing!”, to celebrate their achievements. Undoubtedly, praise is a powerful motivator for encouraging one to continue striving for success. However, praise is not always as effective as we might expect. In fact, despite our best intentions, the way we phrase our praise can sometimes unintentionally hinder, rather than enhance, one’s motivation and growth.

 

Types of Praise and How it Influences Mindset and Motivation

According to research, different types of praise convey different messages, which influence individuals’ mindset towards their achievements and goals. 

Person Praise

Person praise involves complimenting innate abilities or traits in response to their success. For example, saying, “You’re so smart!”. While such a compliment may bring immediate happiness to the recipient, they can potentially hinder long-term growth and resilience.

Mindset Associated with Person Praise. Specifically,  being praised for one’s personal trait conveys the message that people value a natural ability that is beyond one’s control, where success is dependent on whether they have or do not have that natural talent for something. This fosters a fixed mindset, where individuals believe their capabilities are static and unchangeable (Mueller & Dweck, 1998). This mindset suggests that success is primarily determined by whether one possesses certain inherent traits, such as intelligence or talent, rather than effort or learning.

How Person Praise Affects Motivation to Achieve. Research indicates that individuals who frequently receive person praise may avoid challenges that could potentially reveal limitations in their perceived abilities (Kamins & Dweck, 1999). This avoidance stems from a fear that failure would reflect negatively on their inherent traits, leading to feelings of incompetence and lowered self-esteem (Kamins & Dweck, 1999). Moreover, setbacks are often interpreted as indicators of personal inadequacy rather than opportunities for growth. This mindset undermines resilience and decreases motivation over time, as individuals are less likely to persist in the face of difficulties that challenge their self-image (Dweck, 2006).

Process Praise

In contrast, process praise focuses on complimenting someone’s effort or process in response to their success. For instance, “You worked hard and did a good job on your test!”. As compared to person praise, process praise is highly encouraged as it has been associated with helping people learn to take on challenges that will help them grow. 

Mindset Associated with Process Praise. Particularly, being praised for one’s efforts conveys the message that people value the effort and strategies that one can control, where success is dependent on the extent of work placed into achieving their goals. It promotes a growth mindset, which suggests that abilities can be developed and improved through dedication, learning, and perseverance (Blackwell et al., 2007). This mindset emphasises the belief that challenges and setbacks are essential for learning and mastery.

How Process Praise Affects Motivation to Achieve. Studies have shown that individuals who receive process praise are more likely to view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than threats to their self-worth (Henderlong & Lepper, 2002). Process praise encourages individuals to attribute success to effort and effective strategies, rather than fixed traits. This attribution promotes resilience by fostering a belief that setbacks are temporary and can be overcome with persistence and adaptive strategies (Mueller & Dweck, 1998). As a result, individuals who internalise process praise are more motivated to persist in challenging tasks, strive for improvement, and maintain their sense of self-worth even in the face of failure (Dweck, 2006).

 

What Can We Do To Praise Others Effectively?

In summary, the distinction between person praise and process praise underscores their differential impacts on mindset and motivation to achieve. While person praise may initially boost self-esteem by affirming innate abilities, it ultimately hinders growth and resilience. In contrast, process praise nurtures a growth-oriented mindset that values effort, learning, and resilience, thereby enhancing motivation and promoting continuous improvement (Blackwell et al., 2007). 

Recommendations

To foster environments that empower individuals to achieve their full potential, it is essential to prioritise process praise over person praise (Zentall & Morris, 2010). This involves adjusting our language to emphasise effort rather than fixed traits for success.

How can we effectively implement this? Well, we can do so by implementing two forms of process praise that are applicable in our daily interactions with others.

Firstly, effort-based praise acknowledges the diligence individuals apply to their tasks, reinforcing their perseverance and dedication (Kamins & Dweck, 1999). For instance, “You demonstrated great effort in practising your presentation. Your hard work really paid off.”

Secondly, behaviour-specific praise highlights particular actions or achievements, reinforcing positive behaviours and fostering a sense of accomplishment (Henderlong & Lepper, 2002). For example, “I noticed how you carefully organised your thoughts in that essay. Your clarity and structure made it very effective.”

All-in-all, by incorporating these types of praise into our interactions, we can create a nurturing environment that promotes individuals’ growth and resilience. 

 

Written by:

Tan Jo Yee

National University of Singapore

 

References

Blackwell, L. S., Trzesniewski, K. H., & Dweck, C. S. (2007). Implicit Theories of Intelligence Predict Achievement Across an Adolescent Transition: A Longitudinal Study and an Intervention. Child Development, 78(1), 246–263. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.00995.x

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.

Henderlong, J., & Lepper, M. R. (2002). The effects of praise on children’s intrinsic motivation: A review and synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 128(5), 774–795. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.128.5.774

Kamins, M. L., & Dweck, C. S. (1999). Person versus process praise and criticism: Implications for contingent self-worth and coping. Developmental Psychology, 35(3), 835-847. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.35.3.835 

Mueller, C. M., & Dweck, C. S. (1998). Praise for intelligence can undermine children’s motivation and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 33–52. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.33

Zentall, S. R., & Morris, B. J. (2010). “Good job, you’re so smart”: The effects of inconsistency of praise type on young children’s motivation. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 107, 155-163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2010.04.015