ABSTRACT
Dweck's theory of motivation, which stated that achievement behavior is a function of learners' implicit views of intelligence and goal orientation, paved the way for a significant body of research surrounding learning and interventions to improve student achievement over time. Mindset and goal-setting interventions have direct implications for students in higher education and student affairs professionals concerned with increasing student motivation, goal setting, and success. This chapter introduces the concepts of growth mindset and mastery-based goal orientation in higher education, and presents the results of a study that explored these concepts, conducted at South Dakota State University by one of the authors. Implications and applications of growth mindset for student affairs professionals are presented as well. Several key studies provide the foundation of growth mindset and mastery goal orientation that lead us to the discussion of applications in higher education and student affairs.
