A growth mindset about the world breaks the illusion of powerlessness

Many people feel powerless in the face of big problems like climate change. This sense of powerlessness can prevent them from taking action, because they think their individual efforts make little difference. Recent research by Jankowski, Mlynski, and Job (2024) offers new insights. It discusses how our beliefs about the changeability of the world—a “growth mindset about the world”—play a crucial role in breaking through the illusion of powerlessness.

The Research: How Our Worldviews Influence Climate Action

The researchers wondered how the way people see the world affects their sense of efficacy. This is particularly relevant when tackling major societal challenges such as climate change. They hypothesized that people with a growth mindset about the world would have a stronger sense of 'response efficacy'. This means that they assume that the world and social systems are changeable through human efforts. This means that they believe that their actions actually contribute to the desired outcome.

To test this hypothesis, they conducted three online experiments with participants from Austria and the United States. In each experiment, they manipulated participants' lay beliefs about the world by having them read texts that presented the world as either changeable (growth mindset) or fixed (fixed mindset).

After this intervention they measured several variables:

• Personal and collective response efficacy: the belief in the effectiveness of one's own actions and those of groups to combat climate change.Intention to take action: the willingness of participants to commit to climate action.
• Perception of dynamic norms: the realization that more and more people are exhibiting pro-environmental behavior.
• Feelings of cooperation: the feeling of being part of a collective effort with others.

Key Findings

The results of the experiments were consistent and promising:

• Increased response efficacy: Participants with an induced growth mindset about the world felt more effective in their ability to influence climate change. This was true both individually and collectively. They believed more strongly that their actions would make a difference.
• Greater intention to act: These participants showed a stronger willingness to commit to climate action, compared to those with a fixed mindset.
• Awareness of changing norms: They were more aware of the fact that pro-environmental behavior is becoming more common in society.
• Increased sense of collaboration: Participants with a growth mindset felt more connected to others in their efforts to address climate change. This increased their sense of community.

These findings suggest that encouraging a growth mindset around the world may be an effective strategy to motivate people to take action on climate change.

Conclusion: The importance of our beliefs

Jankowski and colleagues’ research underscores the powerful influence of our beliefs on our behavior. By believing that the world is changeable, people increase their sense of agency and willingness to contribute to positive change. This offers valuable insights for policymakers, educators, coaches, and anyone involved in promoting civic engagement.

The bottom line is that our view of the world shapes our actions. A growth mindset about the world can inspire us to not only take action ourselves, but to motivate others. Together, we can work toward a future where every action—no matter how small—matters and contributes to a sustainable and just world.