Progress-focused

The mindset theory and the self-determination theory are two important pillars of progress-focused work. Within the progress-focused approach, we see both theories as important and complementary frameworks for understanding commitment, progress, and well-being. A new study also looks at the relationships between these two theories, in particular the interplay between mindset and basic psychological needs.

Two concepts are central to the progress-focused approach : the growth mindset and autonomous motivation. These theories form important pillars of our approach, which is aimed at sustainable effort and meaningful progress. But do growth mindset and autonomous motivation have anything to do with each other? Don't the concepts come from very different research schools? The answer is yes, they are definitely related. In this article, I look at some studies that show there is an interesting interplay between growth mindset and autonomous motivation.

Ethical leadership plays an important role in shaping the ethical culture within organizations. People often associate dominant leadership with strong performance and decision-making power, but recent research by Brady and Sivanathan (2024) shows that this leadership style can also have unintended negative consequences for workplace ethics. These findings are relevant for organizations that strive for both high performance and an ethically responsible work environment.

The negativity bias influences how contact between groups reinforces prejudices and ideas about other groups. This has long been researched by psychologists. Previous research suggests that positive intergroup contact can reduce prejudice. However, a recent meta-analysis by Paolini et al. (2024) points to a more complex picture. This is especially true when people can choose whether they have contact with others. I discuss this meta-analysis below. The researchers looked at the role of negative and positive experiences in intergroup contact. They also looked at the influence of self-selection and the impact of negativity bias.

The mental health of young people is increasingly under pressure, partly due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers are therefore looking for effective ways to support adolescents in dealing with these challenges. A recent study by Lipsey et al. (2024) examined the effectiveness of a brief online growth mindset intervention targeted at high school students. This approach could not only help reduce depressive symptoms, but also strengthen the mental resilience of young people.

We often see intelligence as the source of progression and innovation. But Robert Sternberg shows in a new article that intelligence is not necessarily good. In his article “ Dark Intelligence: When the Possibility of 1984 Becomes Reality ”, he introduces the concept of 'dark intelligence'. In this article, I will change this term to 'malicious intelligence' (see explanation below). With malicious intelligence, intelligence is not used for the good of society but for harmful and even malicious purposes. His work raises questions about the ethical side of intelligence and the responsibility that comes with cognitive abilities.