Buletin Edukasi Indonesia
Vol. 5 No. 02 (2026): Article in Press - Buletin Edukasi Indonesia

Growth Mindset in Educational Psychology: Between Conceptual Promise and Pedagogical Misuse

Marini Abd Razak (Universiti Tun Abdul Razak)
Hamidah Mohamad (Universiti Tun Abdul Razak)



Article Info

Publish Date
21 Jul 2026

Abstract

Growth mindset has been widely embraced in educational psychology as a construct that promotes motivation, resilience, and academic persistence. However, its rapid diffusion into educational practice has been accompanied by conceptual dilution and pedagogical misuse. This opinion article critically examines the contemporary deployment of growth mindset in educational settings, arguing that it has increasingly been reduced to a motivational slogan detached from instructional quality, assessment systems, and institutional responsibility. Drawing on educational psychology and learning sciences literature, the article problematizes individualistic and decontextualized interpretations of growth mindset and highlights the risks of moralizing effort while obscuring structural inequities. Rather than rejecting the construct, this paper calls for a critical re-engagement with growth mindset as a theoretically grounded, context-sensitive, and pedagogically accountable framework. The article contributes to ongoing debates in educational psychology by questioning prevailing assumptions and urging a more rigorous conceptualization of growth mindset in research and practice.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

BEI

Publisher

Subject

Humanities Education Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Mathematics Other

Description

Buletin Edukasi Indonesia is a peer-reviewed, open-access magazine that considers scholarly, research-based articles on all aspects of education. This journal aims to facilitate the regional exchange of education theory, and contributions from different educational systems and cultures are ...