Growth mindset (belief in the malleability of intelligence) is a unique predictor of young learners’ increased motivation and learning, and may have broader implications for cognitive functioning. Its role in learning in older adulthood is unclear. As part of a larger longitudinal study, we examined growth mindset and cognitive functioning in older adults engaged in a 3-month multi-skill learning intervention that included growth mindset discussions. Before, during, and after the intervention, participants reported on their growth mindset beliefs and completed a cognitive battery. Study 1 indicated that intervention participants, but not control participants, increased their growth mindset during the intervention. Study 2 replicated these results and found that older adults with higher preexisting growth mindsets showed larger cognitive gains at posttest compared to those with lower preexisting growth mindsets. Our findings highlight the potential role of growth mindset in supporting positive learning cycles for cognitive gains in older adulthood.

Motivational factors, such as perceived control and self-efficacy, have been shown to affect older adults’ cognitive functioning. Growth mindset, the belief in the malleability of intelligence and abilities, represents a related but distinct factor that has been widely studied in children and young adults’ learning but less applied to the older adult population. Two studies investigated growth mindset, motivation, and cognitive functioning in a 3-month multi-skill learning intervention that incorporated weekly discussions on growth mindset and successful aging. Participants reported on their growth mindset, general pursuit of novel skill learning, and intrinsic motivation to learn, and completed a cognitive battery before, during, and after the intervention. Study 1 (n = 15, 67% female, M age = 68.67 years, SD age = 8.68, range 58-86) included both an experimental and control group and indicated that from pretest to post-test, intervention participants increased their growth mindset, while control participants did not. Study 2, which included a larger, all experimental sample (n = 28, 68% female, M age = 69.36 years, SD age = 7.00, range 58-86) revealed strong positive associations between growth mindset, pursuit of novel skill learning and intrinsic motivation. Further, participants showed a significant increase in growth mindset from pretest to post-test. Participants with higher pre-existing growth mindset showed larger cognitive gains at post-test, although growth mindset change did not affect post-test change in cognitive functioning. These findings suggest that growth mindset may facilitate older adults’ continued learning and cognitive gains, and they may complement older adult learning interventions.