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Podcast: The Bulletproof Musician
Episode:

Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Heighten a Student's Fear of Failure
Category: Science & Medicine
Duration: 00:07:48
Publish Date: 2024-02-18 08:00:00
Description:

When I praise the family dog for doing a good thing, I'm not sure if it matters what words I say to him. He seems equally excited and happily wags his tail whether I say "good boy!" or "bad doggie!" as long as I use the same tone of voice.

Of course, people are different, and the words we use do matter in the feedback we offer.

So if we're trying to build up a student's confidence, and embolden them to take on new challenges, what kind of praise works best?

A 2014 study suggests that not all praise has the same effect. And that even if well-intentioned, one particular type of praise can backfire and even heighten a student's fear of failure.

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