Tales of struggle motivate science students more than tales of success

Quartz : Although promoting great scientists’ triumphs would seem more inspiring than dwelling on their difficulties, the opposite has been shown to be true. A new study of 9th- and 10th-grade students in New York City compared the academic achievements of two sets of students who received differing accounts of the accomplishments of such eminent scientists as Albert Einstein and Marie Curie. One group learned only about the scientists’ achievements, whereas the other group also read about the scientists’ personal and intellectual struggles. Xiaodong Lin-Siegler of Columbia University’s Teachers College and colleagues found that rather than drawing inspiration from tales of glory, students tend to get intimidated because they associate greatness with innate ability. The students who learned that such ability isn’t merely inherited tended to take more risks and perform better. Lin-Siegler says the study shows that science textbooks should include more personal stories.